‘We demand equality! We are not inferior neither are you superior!’
‘We are against segregation based on color!’
‘This is not the 20th century! Don’t bring back discrimination!’
Scores were on the plant floor raising slogans demanding equal rights and justice. Cops were ready with water canons should the protests turn violent. A beautiful fall day was on the verge of turning ugly.
Until few years ago, such protests were unheard of and not needed either. Sense of equality was built-in and discrimination was largely a relic of past. Gradually supervisory jobs were taken by workers of certain color and supervisors started making it difficult for others to become one. Tensions started simmering among workers. Soon all supervisors in the plant were of certain color with rank and file workers belonging to other.
Supervisors introduced special identity cards, separate rest areas and soon the plant was segregated in to supervisors and non-supervisors. Simmering tensions finally exploded when supervisors introduced longer work hours for non-supervisors without corresponding rewards.
Discussions failed to reduce tensions. With no resolution in sight, Dr. Darling, a leading expert in workplace ethics, was invited to mediate between both parties.
Before her mediation meeting, Dr. Darling addresses the media:
‘These conflicts only confirm my theory - algorithms developed by humans will eventually surface human biases. Robots developed by humans are no exceptions. It will take multiple generations to unlearn these built-in biases.’