First ever on-line strike!

Date: 20 September 2007

Members of the Italian workers union Rappresentenza Sindacale Unitaria (RSU) along with the Union Network International (UNI) will make history by staging the world's first virtual strike in the online world of Second Life.

RSU union members (in the real world) have been locked in a bitter contract dispute with IBM for months. Workers have refused to accept a wage concession proposal brought forth by the company and decided to take their fight to the streets of Second Life (the virtual world).

For those of you unfamiliar with Second Life, it is essentially a large and sophisticated computer software program that provides users a virtual 3D landscape to create an alternative world, much like our own. Participants can purchase virtual land upon which they can construct virtual buildings that you can furnish with virtual sofas and chairs.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. If you visit the Second Life homepage you will find a complete list of economic statistics that deals with everything from currency exchange rates to population demographics.

With over 9.5 million "residents" in this virtual world, a number of multi-national corporations (including IBM and HP) are investing tens of millions of dollars to scoop up virtual market share, tapping into this vast consumer marketplace.

"There is definitely a growing market for companies looking to sell their virtual goods and services online", says Second Life resident and CAW online correspondent Dexter Teichmann (a pseudonym used by a current CAW activist). "An online strike could definitely have real world consequences on a company's bottom line. This is much more than just a video game."

UNI has sent a call out to its international networks, encouraging activists to take part in this initiative that could spur a new form of activism for labour unions to consider. After setting up an online character (or avatar), participants are asked to attend UNI's virtual headquarters on Commonwealth Island (a virtual island) to receive their strike resource kit.

More information about this event

http://www.uniglobalunion.org/SecondLife

http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2007/09/labor-union-pro.html

http://www.union-network.org/UNIIBITSN.nsf/$webDocuments/873B4B154E55D918C1257355003C8AAD?Opendocument

http://www.union-network.org/UNIIBITSN.nsf/$webDocuments/D27BD6708DE628BDC12573540039D4E4?Opendocument

For further information

WWW:	http://www.union-network.org/UNIIBITSN.nsf/$webDocuments/D27BD6708DE628BDC12573540039D4E4?Opendocument

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