Working Paper: NBER ID: w13850
Authors: Richard B. Freeman; M. Marit Rehavi
Abstract: This study examines two innovative efforts to provide union services to workers with the aid of low cost Internet communication: the AFL-CIO's Working America, a "community affiliate" that enrolled 2 million workers from 2004 to 2007 by canvassing them at their homes and over the Internet (www.workingamerica.org); and the UK'S Trade Union Congress's www.unionreps.org.uk, a discussion board for worker representatives to communicate about workplace issues. Working America demonstrates that workers without collective bargaining will join a union organization that communicates on-line and off-line and campaigns for worker interests in society. Unionreps.org shows that local worker representatives can form an on-line community that shares information to improve the services they give workers. Combining the two innovations could be a step toward a new "open source" union form that provides union services at low cost outside of collective bargaining.
Keywords: unions; worker organization; internet; collective bargaining; membership
JEL Codes: J0; J3; J40; J5; J51; J52; J81; J83
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| availability of online communication (L96) | union membership growth (J50) |
| modern internet technologies (L86) | effectiveness of unions (J51) |
| online communities (Z13) | service delivery (L87) |
| online platforms + offline communication (L86) | new form of unionism (J51) |
| new form of unionism (J51) | increased worker organization and engagement (J54) |