1. Unions and Technology

2. Computers in Society  1950: 2 computers  2003: millions  2020: billions

3. Computer Communication Tendencies

4.  Decentralization  Customization  Linkages made fragile and temporary  Hardware translated to software everything is connected  A new biological metaphor

5. Computer Communication Effects

6.  De-industrialization  Globalization  Virtual Companies  Dynamic Employer-Worker Arrangements  Contracting-out

7. Computer Communication Effects  Workplace  Education

8. Computer Communication Effects  The Imaginary Workplace A workplace of unlimited resources based on creativity which can produce full employment and is predicated on democracy in the workplace.

9. Computer Communication Effects  Education in the Imaginary Workplace workers become L’earners life-long training and education computer-based distance education more private educational activity than public

10. Predicting Technologies

11.  Entertainment and toy industry  Corporate existence  Democratic communities The Internet Linux

12. Predicting Technologies  A period of rapid change The ‘90s Gold Rush Fast change means societies are easily deflected Same arguments for laissez-faire capitalism We have to learn how to confront change

13. Predicting Technologies  The technologies which exists today are hazy prototypes of what will appear tomorrow.

14. The Internet will disappear.

15. Speaking of the “Internet” in 2003 is like speaking about the “Electricity” in 1903.

16. The Internet  The Internet is an enabling, multi-purpose technology.  This means many more technologies are headed our way.

17. The Internet  The book enabled: Literacy Grammar The Reformation National borders Capital markets The Industrial Revolution Unions

18. The Internet  Electricity spawned: Telegraph Light bulb Telephone Movies Radio TV

19. What will the Internet bring?

20. We are not building the Internet.

21. We are building a new Electronic Society.

22. Will unions be part of this New Electronic Society?

23. Will unions be part of this New Electronic Society? Yes. If they participate in the design of new technologies.

24. The Internet CourseReader  An educational computer communications program  Designed by unionists for group work  Helps solves problems due to: High Internet costs Undependable electricity Expensive telephone connections

25. The Internet CourseReader Internet

26. The Internet CourseReader Internet

27. The Internet CourseReader Internet

28. The Internet CourseReader Internet

29. The Internet CourseReader Internet

30. The Internet CourseReader

31. Internet

32. Union Web Sites

33. The Internet CourseReader  Developed as “Open Source” Software  Free of charge  “Source Code” available for programmers  Translatable  Freely distributable  Foundation of an international union-owned, union-designed educational computer communications network

34. Union Web Sites Internet

35. Union Web Sites Internet

36. Union Web Sites  Web Page Creation Software  Mozilla Open source “free” software  Available in: Belarusion, Bulgarian, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Sorbian, Slovak, Slovenian, and Ukranian.

37. What is YOUR Project?

38. Solidarity Forever