Helping Workers Online and Offline: Innovations in Union and Worker Organization Using the Internet

Abstract

of the TUC for their helping us obtain data and carrying out the survey of www.unionreps.org.uk. Our discussion of Working America benefi ted from the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School Workshop on Working America, November 13-14, 2007, and in particular from the presentation by Robert Fox on the organization's online activities. Jason Abaluck, Rishi Patel, Morgan Freeman, and David Owen provided excellent research assistance. Peter Cappelli and David Autor gave valuable comments. 1. Freeman (2005) describes other ways unions have used the Internet.

Computerization and the Decline of American Unions: Is Computerization Class-Biased?

“…Obviously, there is the potential upside of new communication technologies for union organizing. The spread of the Internet as a popular means of communication enables an interactive platform for unions to provide workers with information about the workplace and job market, to communicate about workplace issues, to enhance democracy in unions, and to strengthen the international labor community; all offer unions opportunities to improve services and attract members (Freeman & Rehavi, 2008). Indeed, the rise of the Internet has enabled new means of transmitting information and communication that has in turn enabled the rapid emergence of social protest movements that are organized and coordinated through the Internet.…”

Human Research Subjects as Human Research Workers

“…Moreover, if HSR regulations are amended to lift payment restrictions and guarantee subjects a minimum wage, compensation for injury, and decent working conditions, some of their chief complaints will have been addressed, potentially cutting down on their motivation to organize. 326 And although the Internet could help, 327 there is the fundamental problem of organizing a group of relatively transient, potentially stigmatized subjects who may fear running in opposition to a significant source of their income. 328 Perhaps most importantly, if critical steps are taken to preserve the integrity, generalizability, and validity of research results by limiting repeat participation, 329 there will be even fewer subjects who would care enough to organize.…”

Connecting Activists: Unions and Social Networking: A Report From the U.K.

“…4 4 Richard Freeman and Marit Rehavi surveyed 857 reps during 2003/4 through the TUC's education programme, as well as more detailed work with 411 reps using unionreps.org.uk. Their findings were published as the NBER working paper “Helping Workers Online and Offline: Innovations In Union And Worker Organization Using The Internet?”, March 2008.…”

“…Their findings were published as the NBER working paper “Helping Workers Online and Offline: Innovations In Union And Worker Organization Using The Internet?”, March 2008. Also see Freeman & Rogers (2002), “Open source unionism”, WorkingUSA, No.Spring, Vol 5, no 4.…”