Notes: Technology in Labor
- Wayne Langley (SEIU Organizer)
- Labor's organizational culture is erecting barriers to the
progressive use of technology - inhibiting democratization and participation
- examples
- locals which prohibit members from looking at database
- fear of insurgent campaigns
- organizations which will not expand internet infrastructure
(broadband, etc.) due to fear of employee abuse, etc. - legit reasons for reticence
- supplants face to face organizing
- resource sink, money where organizers could be funded, etc.
- promotes culture of individual
- undermines centralized control
- traditional organizational culture that has at it's
center "command and control" leaders - member democracy seems less efficient, thought it's not
- at the end of the day, what counts is member
participation, though this is disregarded by most organizers in debate
about centralized unions - member involvement important because republicans have
decided to target dues base/closed shop which will allow many to leave
unions if they are not otherwise intimately involved - Claire McDonough, SEIU Headquarters,
- Sees SEIU as having comprehensive tech strategy
- choice not to establish central website, etc. because
union member relationship is with local, not (inter)national - chose instead to create a centralized content management
solution managed by international - comprehensive training program
- important to be based on best practices for web
communication, etc. - enables webmasters from different locals to communicate and
share/appropriate content and strategies - technology relationship with locals important for union
organizers - locals who are able to use the system are those which
dedicate staff to web maintenance - websites can serve to provide resources to allow members to see
shared interests - technology infrastructure may play a role in effecting global
solidarity - Tanya Renne, Orchid Suites,
- SEIU is the ONLY union which has been willing to throw big
money behind tech - technology developers have found funds/willingness in locals
and regional level - technology can be agnostic, but is not in an organizational
environment with high level organizers with agendas, etc.
- Wayne: Problem is systemic
- administrators do not understand potential
- innovation at local level is stifled
- technology seen as support staff not part of strategy
- Use of technology in organizing campaigns
- as an educational tool: what unions are, etc.
- campaign-specific sites
- public opinion fundamental, not just membership organization
- issue related sites such as PurpleOcean serve as gateways
- Q: can technology be used to facilitate practices which align
with labor - Claire: innovative uses of technology
- forums for discussion of policy
- many sites too restrictive on allowed content participation
- What needs to be done to effect change in the culture of unions
- Wayne: admins need to realize the potential, promise and
competency of new technology/organizing paradigms - Tanya: risk is real
- Claire: use of incentives from atop to motivate locals to adopt
standard tech practices - need for competent technology vendors who are aware of and
integrated in process, institutional efficiency, etc. - not all the responsibility of union leaders
- Wayne: problem with lack of proactivity of developers.
Developers need to alert organizers of new technology which may be of
interest. - Ways of addressing structural conflict
- reframing away from "getting people to do things"
- documenting, publicizing and integrating success into process
- What is the potential for coalitions with outside organizations?
Submitted by ethanw on April 16, 2005 - 4:00pm.
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