Dinosaurs in Cyberspace?

Abstract

The diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has led to speculation about the role and health of traditional representative organizations such as trade unions (TUs). The arrival of the Internet has heightened debate about TUs' representative and participatory functions. Some have argued that increasing use of ICTs will further undermine the role of TUs in favour of different forms of participation. Alternatively, there has been interest in the notion of e-unions, where ICTs are harnessed to reinvigorate and modernize union practices. Still further, radicals have argued that ICTs have the potential to decentralize power within hierarchical union structures, enhancing participation. Drawing on content analysis of TUs' websites, a union ICT questionnaire survey and elite interview data, this article examines these scenarios in the context of British unionism.