CyberUnion: Empowering Labor through Computer Technology

"The first truly definitive 'must read' paradigm of Labor's participation in the
evolution of cyber communications."
                                                           --Gary Cortes, Union Jobs Clearinghouse

A far-reaching exploration of how unions are, and could make uptimum use of computer potentialities. CyberUnion is ...

1) the ONLY book of its type; the first to link computer advances, Labor's plight, and Labor's prospects in a systematic, original, revealing, and constructive analysis

2) the first survey of what American unions, locals, city central bodies, and individual union activists are ACTUALLY doing with computer uses

3) a constructive assessment of what is and isn't yet being done - complete with pragmatic recommendations for action steps

4) rich with the voice of 10 unionists actually improving the Labor-Computer Use scene

5) unique in its coverage of the global scene - and its search for lessons for American unions from advances elsewhere

6) offers the first-ever typology of unions sorted by their use of computer potentialities, a typology that enables readers to slot their own union and assess the strengths and weaknesses of that slot

7) offers a theory of the likely development of unions vis-a-vis uses made of computer potentialities, namely, a progression from Cyber Naught to Cyber Drift to Cyber Gain to CyberUnion

8) offers a major forecast - namely, if Organized Labor does not soon get beyond its Cyber Gain stage, and achieve CyberUnion status, its decline into insignificance is very likely

9) explores several difficult decisions that Labor must make to get beyond the impasse represented by lingering in the Cyber Gain stage - rather than making the strenuous effort necessary to achieve CyberUnion status

10) remains cautiously optimistic about Labor's chances to make the best of its computer use possibilities

11) offers a rich bevy of recommended readings (annotated) and Web Sites of direct relevance to unionists eager to promote finer use by Labor of computer power; and...

12) never loses sight of the primary importance of human agents - and their Vision, values, and willingness to act - for without such activists the potential of computer use cannot possibly help Labor come closer to its heart's desire.

Although it is hardly publicized, something remarkable is happening to Organized Labor. Key players in the United States and abroad are busy modernizing their communications and making creative and effective use of computers and other technology. Drawing on infotech devices (computer networks, the Internet, video conferencing, fax machines, wireless communication, and multi-media), Labor struggles to renew its "voice" and "ears," and, in the process, new hope has been stirred that this just might help to transform its organizational culture, redefine its mission, and re-invent itself.

The author believes the road to creating a CyberUnion (the combination of four strategic reform aids--futuristics, innovations, services, and traditions--knit together with infotech resources) has already begun, and those unions already embracing this model are ensuring a position of strength in the 21st century. CyberUnion is a bold plan for Organized Labor to remain strong for many decades to come, and this work examines the components of the model, progress already made, and plans to ensure continued success.

ADVANCE BOOK INFORMATION (12/15/98)

Title: Cyberunion: Empowering Labor Through Computer Technology
Author: Arthur B. Shostak, Drexel University; Professor of Sociology; Dir., Center for Employment Futures.
Description: Although it is hardly publicized, something remarkable is happening to Organized Labor. Key players in the United States and abroad are busy modernizing their communications and making creative and effective use of computers and other technology. Drawing on computing devices, Labor struggles to renew its "voice" and "ears" and, in the process, new hope has been stirred that this just might help to transform its organizational culture, refine its mission, and reinvent itself. The author asserts that the effort to create a CyberUnion (the combination of four strategic reform aids--futuristics, innovations, services, and traditions--knit together with computer resources) has already begun, and only those unions struggling to adopt this model are ensured a position of strength in the 21st century. CyberUnion is a bold plan for Organized Labor to remain strong for many decades to come, and this work examines the components of the model, progress already made, and plans to ensure continuing success.

Contents:

Part I. Computers and Labor
   1. Using Computers as a Servicing Aid (Reading: How a Personal Computer Can Enhance Union Political Action, Charles H. Laskonis)
   2. Using Computers as an Organizing Aid (Reading: Sensing the Speed Picking Up, Carl D. Cantrell)

Part II. Variations on the Theme
   3. Cyber Naught: Paving Over the Cow Path (Reading: Change Prospects, Kim Evon)
   4. Cyber Drift: Going Nowhere (Reading: Searching for the Way, Bobby Brown)
   5. Cyber Gain: Getting With It (Reading: The AFGE Experience, Sharon Pinnock)

Part III. CyberUnion: Informatics Plus
   6 . CyberUnion: Promoting Power (Reading: The World of Tomorrow, Carol Rodgers)
   7. Futuristics: Promoting Alternatives (Reading: Teaching Futuristics Arthur B. Shostak)
   8. Innovations: Promoting Risk-Taking (Reading: What Does the Future Hold for Me as an IBEW Construction Electrician? Joseph Breedlove)
   9. Services: Promoting Ties (Reading: A Virtual Office for Operating Engineers, Local 148, Donald Giljum)
   10. Traditions: Promoting Roots (Reading: Bright Future for Unions? Jim Dator) Part IV. With a Little Help from Our Friends
   11. Change-Agents: Stateside (Reading: Women: ãWe Can Do It!ä Arthur B. Shostak)
   12. Change-Agents: Overseas
   13. Choices We Must Make (Reading: Virtual Corporations and American Labor Unions: So Many Unknowns, So Much Potential, Arthur B. Shostak)

HARDCOVER INFORMATION:

ISBN: 0-7656-0462-0
Pages: 248
Price: $64.95
Series: Issues in Work and Human Resources:
Pub. Date: May 1999 An inexpensive $25 paperback edition will be available in September,1999.
Features: Bibliography, cyber sources, recommended resources, index Rights
Available: Worldwide M. E. Sharpe Inc., 80 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504, USA
Tel: (800) 541-6563 or (914) 273-1800
Fax: (914) 273-2106
Website: www.mesharpe.com

For ordering info., please contact: Rina Maiorano, ext. 148 (USA and canadian surface mail, add $4.00 for the first book and $1.50 for each additional. UPS in the USA, add $5.00 for the first book and $1.50 for each additional. For International addresses via surface mail, add $5.00 for the first book and $3.00 for each additional. Volume orders at a special price can be arranged).

Reviews

Arthur Shostak's book is a well-written composition, important for all those who are interested in the future of labor unions. It is important because it suggests an agenda for leaders and members of labor organizations, and it empowers this agenda with the tools of information technology. The pleasure I derived from the style stems from the fact that Shostak employs a rare mix of scholarship, enthusiasm and bridging between the Kabalistic language of computer technology and the common language of every member in the work community. The book portrays in a (subtle) systematic way the major SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) of computers and the Internet for labor organizations. It points to three major strategic goals which are enhanced by computer technology: servicing, political action and organizing.

In this context, labor unions may exhibit three modes of accommodation with computers and information technology: Cyber Naught (resistance to the brave new world of computers and informatics), Cyber Drift (aimlessness in using the new technologies), and Cyber Gain (adopting computers and informatics for current and traditional uses, not the future). However, the preferred model is the CyberUnion, which uses the information technology for the good of the members by focusing on Futuristics, Innovations, Services and Traditions (FIST). Each type of modus vivendi is well diagnosed and documented by richly-researched sources and case studies. The author is an enthusiastic supporter of the labor movement. Nevertheless, he does not ignore the weaknesses and problems which hamper labor organizations due to painful transformation of traditional (sometimes Ludite) attitudes towards computer technology. He repeatedly points out the dangerous gap between rank-and-file and head officers in regard to knowledge, skills, abilities and motivation in using the new technologies. However, he suggests a wide repertory of change agents and change techniques to make the labor movement better equipped to tackle the challenges facing it in the next century. Although the research dimension of the issues in the book is acknowledged and discussed, I, for one, would be curious to be more informed in greater detail about it in the current academic channels, both in their theoretical and empirical elaboration.

Reviewed by Aviad Bar-Haim,
The Open University of Israel
aviad@oumail.openu.ac.il

Art Shostak has written with "CyberUnion: Empowering Labor through Computer Technology" the desk reference guide for union leaders hoping to steer into the next millinium at the helm of a viable organization. His thoughtful analysis of how computers can, and can't transform the union as a workplace, provide better member service, and improve communication through the ranks (and hence democratize decision making) is well worth reading.

I predict Shostak's F-I-S-T acronymn for labor modernization which includes a levelheaded and sensible approach to both technology and planning, will quickly become a term of the trade for serious activists and students of labor.

Given the breathtaking scope of the vision he embraces in this effort, nothing less than the future itself; it is not realistic to hope every possible scenario could be charted in one text. But Mr. Shostak provides an illuminating and intriguing sketch of the shifting horizon before us, and more importantly begins a dialog of how that future can be shaped.

aanz@sirius.com

For myself I had hoped to see more comment on the civil rights struggle which must continue to be waged to protect "electronic activism" from encroachments on the First Amendment. The recent Sacramento ruling for a company and against a "cyber-activist" who e-mailed every worker in a company who had a company e-mail address (essentially a plant gate leafleting done on-line) proves labor rights are the least cherished in our legal system. Without a well thought out and better funded legal strategy than most activists can bring to bear against a civil suit, we can expect labor's free speech to be of precarious future merit to blind justice.

I would have also liked to see how these tools and this future world of work might have looked to this scholar assuming hands on usage from a less accomodating labor movement. But these are tasks left, one hopes, for the sequel of this worthwhile guide.

Ellen M. Starbird