The advent of open source unionism?

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine innovative union use of the internet in the 2000s and to see whether the major union innovations in the USA and UK mark the advent of “open source” union structures. Design/methodology/approach – Reviews two important innovations, www.workingamerica.org and www.unionreps.org.uk Examines how they may fit with the open source union design. Findings – Both the AFL-CIO and US union efforts to develop open source union forms and the TUC and UK union efforts to improve services to workers and members through the internet mark the advent of the open source union form. The two countries have different approaches to this innovation, which reflect the differing problems faced by unions in the USA and UK. In both countries, unions will have to find the appropriate mix of on-line and off-line activities to create stable open source organizations. Originality/value – No other paper has examined union use of the internet in terms of creating the new open source union form.