The Right to Strike Underutilised by Workers in the Technology Sector

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Sep 23, 2023

WHAT started as a few protests and work stoppages in some countries is turning into a global movement of dissent by workers [1], such as teachers [2-4], journalists [5], athletes [6], factory workers [7-8], actors [9-10] and more [11], causing panic in some corporate boardrooms [12]. YouTube Music workers are among those who protest and go on strike, showing that even GAFAM isn't conflict-free.

Over the years we wrote lot about protests and strikes at the EPO (the relevant pages will be restored at a later stage; we're upgrading and migrating the site gradually) and rarely did we witness strikes in the realm of Free software, except perhaps developers calling it quits or relicensing something. Sometimes there are hard forks.

A culture of dissent, as long as it does not resort to vandalism, makes society stronger by proactively defusing conflicts. A lot of people in a company which they know does evil things would be better off uniting and demanding change. It is not possible unless one actually tries it, and collective action gets better results. Counter-cultural movements that challenge the status quo are what drives humanity forward.

Geeks need to learn how to strike, too. █

Related/contextual items from the news:

1. Strikers Demand 4-Day Workweek

2. Lithuanian minister to make proposals on raising teachers’ salaries

   Lithuanian Education, Science and Sport Minister Gintautas Jakštas on Tuesday is meeting with trade unions’ representatives to present proposals on raising teachers’ salaries amid their looming strike.

3. Lithuanian teachers calling strike on September 29

   The Lithuanian Education Workers’ Union (LŠDPS) confirmed on Monday that it is launching an “actual” strike at schools and other educational establishments on September 29. The union held a warning strike last Friday, when teachers across the country sat out two periods.

4. Over 40,000 South Korea teachers demand legal protection against bullying from parents

   Following a major demonstration on September 4, more school teachers in South Korea rallied on Saturday in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, calling for legal protections against bullying from overbearing parents.

5. Pictured: National World journalists picket in company’s first-ever national strike

   The NUJ said more than 330 journalists walked out on Monday.

6. Spain's women football players to continue strike despite national call-up

   Striking Spanish internationals called up to the women's team reiterated their desire not to form part of the squad in a new blow for the shaken Spanish football federation (RFEF).

7. Carmakers and the United Auto Workers are talking. No signs of a breakthrough to end the strike

   The auto workers’ strike against Detroit’s Big Three is now in its fourth day. There were no signs Monday of an early breakthrough that might end the strike, and the United Auto Workers have threatened to escalate their walkout against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. President Joe Biden is sending his acting Labor secretary and another top aide to Detroit early this week to see what they can do to bring the two sides together.

8. Strike Is a High-Stakes Gamble for Autoworkers and the Labor Movement

   Experts on unions and the industry said the U.A.W. strike could accelerate a wave of worker actions, or stifle labor’s recent momentum.

9. Stephen Fry Discusses Having His Voice Ripped Wholesale for AI

   Stephen Fry speaks on his voice being ripped from Harry Potter audiobooks for AI narration and warns the worst is yet to come. AI remains a hot topic in the entertainment sector as the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union strike reaches its third month (and the WGA strike writers’ strike its fifth).

10. Hollywood Strikes Send a Chill Through Britain’s Film Industry

    Many U.S. studios’ blockbusters are filmed in Britain, so the walkouts by actors and screenwriters have caused thousands of U.K. film crews to lose work.

11. Google Flat-Out Refuses to Bargain With Workers, Prompting YouTube Music Strike

    In an email obtained by Motherboard, Google tells YouTube Music workers it will "not be participating in collective bargaining."

12. Meeting Bloat Has Taken Over Corporate America. Can It Be Stopped?

    Since the pandemic, the sheer number of useless meetings has grown out of control. Some people are starting to fight back.