Mayor Pete Buttigieg will launch a task force titled “Automation and the Impacts on America’s Cities” at the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) Winter Meeting on Friday, January 26. The task force will connect mayors from across the country to prepare for the effects of increased mechanization and digitalization in the American economy.
“Automation is already re-shaping the economies of communities like South Bend, and this will only accelerate in the coming years,” said Mayor Buttigieg, who will chair the task force. “Cities need to prepare for the profound effects of automation as it changes everything from trucking to accounting. The very nature of work is shifting, and mayors across America have a key role to play in supporting workers who draw purpose and identity, not just income, from their role in the workplace. Rather than wait for answers from Washington, we must move proactively to help our cities prepare for the challenges—and opportunities—that automation will bring.”
“The Conference of Mayors will help define the conversation on the future of the American workforce,” said USCM President Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “Metro economies contain over 85% of the American workforce and roughly 90% of GDP. This task force will orient our cities to address automation for workers across the country.”
“Mayors are on the forefront of preparing our nation’s workers for the new economy,” said USCM CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran. “The Automation Task Force will make sure that growth doesn’t leave workers behind. Cities will lead the way to balanced growth.”
###