California Federation of Labor Unions Responds to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order on AI Safety

Release Date: September 18, 2026

California Federation of Labor Unions Responds to Governor Newsom's Executive Order on AI Safety

The Federation Demands a Kill Switch for all AI Systems

Sacramento, CA - (Friday, September 18, 2026) - Lorena Gonzalez, President of the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO, released the following statement in response to Governor Newsom's executive order on AI safety:

"AI billionaires cannot be trusted to regulate themselves. They have created a business model built on the backs of working people. The California Federation of Labor Unions demands that all AI systems have a kill switch, period. We also continue to demand that AI systems can be overridden in the workplace. Human beings should always be in control of AI, not be controlled by it.

We thank Governor Newsom for recognizing the need to tackle this existential crisis. We are also calling on Governor Newsom to convene an emergency legislative session to enact meaningful safety regulations on AI companies to protect all Californians.

Finally, we urge Governor Newsom to address the harm AI companies are causing today in our workplaces by signing the strongest legislative package of AI guardrails in the country. This package of workplace bills will regulate AI and save jobs."

The California Federation of Labor Unions has sponsored and supported the strongest legislative package of bills in the country that would save jobs and regulate AI in the workplace. The following bill package was sent to the Governor's desk:

AB 1331 - No Bosses in the Bathroom Act authored by Assemblymember Sade Elhawary (D-Los Angeles) and cosponsored by the Teamsters. This legislation bans bosses from using AI surveillance to spy on workers in the bathroom.

AB 1883 - The Stop AI Strip Searches Act, by Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan (D-Los Angeles) and cosponsored by the California Teamsters. This legislation bans the use of invasive and exploitative AI surveillance tools in the workplace including AI that performs emotional recognition or monitors employees' brainwaves.

AB 2575 - The Health Care by Humans Act authored by Assemblymember Liz Ortega (D-Hayward) and cosponsored by the California Nurses Association-National Nurses United. This legislation would ensure human health care workers can exercise their clinical, professional judgment to override AI tools without facing retaliation and ensures accountability for any harm caused to patients by AI tools.

AB 1979 - Authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland) and sponsored by the California Nurses Association-National Nurses United. This legislation prohibits health facilities from replacing health care workers with AI.

AB 1609 - Authored by Assemblymember Rick Zbur (D-Hollywood) and sponsored by the Communications Workers of America. This legislation requires businesses to provide human customer service representatives upon request and to make a good faith effort to provide one within 15 minutes of a request.

SB 903 - Authored by Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) and sponsored by the National Union of Healthcare Workers. This legislation prohibits AI from replacing mental health providers in providing services or in triage.

SB 947 - The No AI Bosses Act authored by Senator Jerry McNerney (D-Stockton) and cosponsored by the California Teamsters. This legislation ensures AI cannot fire or discipline workers without human oversight.

SB 951 - The AI Job Killer Notice Act authored by Sen. Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-San Bernardino). This legislation requires employers to notify workers and the government of any plans to lay off or not hire workers due to AI.

The Federation also sent AB 1776 to Governor Newsom's desk, the COMPETE Act, authored by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Davis) and co-sponsored by UFCW, California Teamsters, the California Nurses Association-National Nurses United, Writers Guild of America West, and SEIU California. This legislation empowers the government with new tools to go after Big Tech and other corporate monopolies and monopsonies, which harm workers and consumers by inflating prices and depressing wages.

Governor Newsom has until September 30 to sign or veto California Labor's package of AI bills.

For more information, or to set up an interview with Lorena Gonzalez to discuss Governor Newsom's executive order or the Federation's AI legislative package, please contact Shubhangi Domokos, [email protected].

The California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO represents over 1,300 affiliated unions in California with over 2.3 million union members in trucking, retail, hospitality, janitorial, construction, health care, local and state government, education, arts and entertainment, warehousing and logistics, manufacturing, and every other sector of the economy.

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