Straight Talk with Chukwudi Obi

On a humid Monday morning in Aba, Chinedu arrived at the small garment factory where he had worked for eight years. The rhythmic hum of sewing machines—once the soundtrack of his daily routine—had changed. New automated cutting machines sat where three tailoring tables used to be. During the tea break, whispers spread: production would increase, but fewer hands would be needed. By Friday, management announced a “restructuring.” Some workers would be retrained to operate the machines; others would be let go. The factory’s union chairperson called an emergency meeting, not to stop technology, but to negotiate dignity, fairness, and a future for the workers. This scene, familiar across workshops, banks, farms, and offices, captures the central tension of our time. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how work is done, while labour unions—longstanding guardians of workers’ rights—are redefining their role. The question is not whether AI will change work, but whether workers will sh...