In recent decades, the rapid integration of advanced automation technology into the manufacturing sector has sparked debate regarding its impact on workforce transformation. While some studies predict widespread job loss due to automation, others contend that it will ultimately bolster labor demand by generating new roles where human labor maintains a comparative advantage. This manuscript examines relationship between automation adoption and workforce transformation, challenging the simplistic binary view. We posit that automation can both replace and augment human labor, and even forge new opportunities, contingent upon the level of adoption and institutional factors, such as unionization. This manuscript highlights the necessity for strategic, context-aware approaches to workforce management in the age of automation, emphasizing the potential for automation to enhance, rather than merely replace, human labor. By shedding light on unionization's moderating role, the manuscript also underscores the importance of considering institutional factors when analyzing technological impacts on the workforce.
