3 ms·
The collective bargaining thing is a non-starter IMO but it would be nice to have an organization that looked out for developers legislatively, helped freelance
by chrisbennet 11y ago
The collective bargaining thing is a non-starter IMO but it would be nice to have an organization that looked out for developers legislatively, helped freelancers with contracts, etc.
In the US at least, unions are only in it for themselves. Take the recent push by California unions for a $15hr minimum wage - except for their own members. Yes, they want an exception to the law so their members can be paid less than minimum wage. [1]
[1] http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-union-exemption-20150726-story.html#page=1 http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-union-exemption-...
- mcv 11y agoI'm member of a sort of union for self-employed/freelancers, though not specifically programmers. They advise on contracts and taxes, offer very cheap legal advice and support, and of course they lobby with the government for better legal support for self-employed people and freelancers. Of course they don't negotiate for me; I'm self-employed, so that's my job. There's a few of these organizations in Netherland: one from the major labour union, the others independent. EDIT: The bit about LA unions arguing for lower wages is bizarre. That's completely contrary to their purpose. Hard to imagine that an organization calling itself a union would do that to their members.