Unions and the Internet

I spent most of the day learning about the latest developments in how unions are using the internet and some of its applications for their activities, especially on line campaigning. The seminar was run by Eric Lee from Labourstart. Eric spent a long time critiquing current and recent union practice, especially looking at common weaknesses in the design of union web sites. We also learned about and discussed the ways in which employers had learned how to neutralise many union campaigns that are based on tools and techniques developed several years ago. The workshop then turned to new, easily accessible and common tools that can take union campaigns to a new level. My main interest lies in understanding how to link on line tools to traditional, face to face meetings and other union activity: that is, how to make sure members and potential members can get important information, share it with others, discuss and analyse it, and work out the actions they want to take