February 25, 2025: The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), a labour union affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has urged the Union government to introduce training and skilling programs to safeguard workers from job losses due to the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The organization cautioned that AI-driven transformations could exacerbate economic inequalities and push a significant portion of supply chain workers into financial instability.

With AI adoption accelerating across industries, BMS raised concerns that discussions around human-AI collaboration remain inadequate. Vrijesh Upadhyaya, a national executive committee member of BMS, highlighted that informal workers in logistics, warehousing, and last-mile delivery remain at risk of displacement due to the lack of formal training and AI integration strategies.

“We are deeply concerned that AI-driven workforce strategies are focusing primarily on formally skilled employees, leaving millions of informal workers behind,” Upadhyaya stated. He emphasized the need for inclusive AI policies that recognize practical experience and ensure structured training opportunities.

The BMS, which has previously opposed foreign direct investment, privatization, and public sector disinvestment, called on the government to implement policies that protect informal workers. The organization also demanded affordable certification programs to help unskilled and semi-skilled workers transition into AI-driven roles.

To mitigate AI's impact, BMS proposed AI training models tailored to informal workers, including mobile-based learning in regional languages and peer-driven training programs. Upadhyaya stressed the importance of policy interventions that incentivize companies to upskill and employ informal workers rather than replace them.

BMS also called for a structured dialogue between labour unions, policymakers, and industry leaders to ensure AI adoption benefits all workers. Upadhyaya warned that AI could lead to greater wage disparities, benefiting highly skilled employees while eliminating low-skilled jobs, particularly in developing countries like India, where social security for displaced workers remains inadequate.

As AI continues to reshape the workforce, BMS’s demand for proactive government intervention reflects growing concerns about the future of employment and wage inequality in the country.