You Deserve a Tech Union

A Book Apart #47

by Ethan Marcotte

There’s a resurgent labor movement in the tech industry. Tech workers—designers, engineers, writers, and many others—have learned that when they stand together, they’re poised to build a better version of the tech industry. They haven’t stopped there: at companies from Kickstarter to Google, workers have formed unions. And you should, too.

But what are unions? And why do they matter? Ethan Marcotte answers these questions through extensive research and by interviewing tech workers with real-world union-building experience. Ethan shares these workers’ insights and stories, weaving them together to outline the process for forming a union of your very own. Because you—yes, you—deserve a tech union.

Genres: Technology, Nonfiction, Business, Design, Labor

Unknown Binding

Published August 15, 2023

About the author

Ethan Marcotte is a veteran web designer, speaker, and author. He’s perhaps best known for responsive web design, helping the industry discover a new way of designing for the ever-changing Web.

His most recent book is You Deserve a Tech Union .

Reviews

[jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

cannot recommend highly enough as an important and easily digestible introduction to labor politics for all tech workers (even if you only read the first section or two!)

while i’ve always been pro-union in general, i’ve also held the (not uncommon) belief that tech workers don’t really need unions, with our cushy benefits, free food, and unlimited PTO. but that’s not all that unions are — unions make a one-sided relationship two-sided, giving us a say in the terms of the labor we provide and what it’s used for.

something i hear all the time in sell calls is talking about how good it feels to be able to "have impact" at work, actually being able to ship features that people use rather than twiddling your thumbs on some niche internal tool. it's an inclination that i understand and that i appreciate myself, but reading this book i was reminded how much i care about not only having impact at my job, but having positive impact. in a world where our work is assigned by our bosses, unions give us the power to determine what impact we want our work to have, and i think it's more important of a time than ever for us to be mindful of that impact.

while i’m not planning to start a union at datadog anytime soon, i’m very glad i read this book. it reminded me to think critically about all labor, including my own, (does datadog contribute to government agencies that work on military contracts? could our current work on govcloud networking policies allow those in the future?), and that we are all workers, and the only way we gain power is collectively.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone in or adjacent to the tech industry. Remember: we are all workers.

[Anton Alexandrov · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reads more like a Unions 101 sort of book than something tech-specific.

[Zéro Janvier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dans cet essai, Ethan Marcotte lance un appel pour développer l'activisme et le syndicalisme dans le secteur de la tech, en expliquant les raisons pour lesquelles c'est important pour lui, comment cela se passe concrètement, et ce que nous pouvons en espérer.

Sur les aspects pratiques et légaux, le propos est clairement centré sur la situation américaine, ce que l'auteur admet volontiers comme il parle de ce qu'il connait, mais les concepts restent applicables partout et surtout, cela ne constitue qu'une partie du livre.

J'ai dévoré ce court livre en une grosse journée, c'est un texte à la fois enthousiasmant et mobilisateur. Si je n'étais pas déjà syndiqué, je pense que je serais désormais décidé à l'être !

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you like least about your job? How would you go about changing it? What do you like most about your job? How would you ensure you could keep things this way?

Ethan skillfully weaves together the history of labor and unionization in the US, the case for collective action in tech, and a step-by-step process for forming a union and how every piece of that puzzle is involved. Of note, Ethan never loses sight of tech's most marginalized workers, and the transformative impact unionization can have for embettering their lives. This is a must-read for anyone in tech.

[Sameera Kapila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ethan's YDATU is an approachable, and a much needed book and topic in the tech industry. The book includes significant history and actionable steps to start workers' unions. I was surprised by how much I learned about things I take for granted in the workplace that all exist because of past unions—many not even from tech, such as how 5-day workweeks came to be (instead of 6-day workweeks) from unions themselves.

In reading the book, a reader will find solidarity was an important theme—a guide to building empathy that improves the workplaces and lives of all.

[Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first experience with unions outside of news headlines and articles. I feel like this book has provided me with I have a better understanding of both the basics of unions. As well as shedding a light of some of the hidden costs of the today’s tech industry. Some I was familiar with, others not as much.

[Izzy Lancaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book for all modern tech workers, even if you don't think you count as one.

[Chris Metivier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marcotte's characterization of the dangerous state of labor in general is apt, but his optimistic tone undercuts the message that corporations are necessarily constructed in such a way that they must exploit labor to exist, and should not be viewed as reasonable organizations to be negotiated with, but as hostile entities to be wary of.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing, succinct read that covers organising and unionisation in the USA in both its modern and historical contexts. It also has insightful commentary on how automation, like generative AI, and investment money / venture capital is affecting work, and making it precarious for everyone. In times of unprecedented tech layoffs, this is an absolute must read and an incredible achievement.

[Elise Joshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unions 101. No need to read if you're already familiar with general labor law and how unions are formed. Definitely recommend to anyone curious and new to union drives!

[Matt]

Fascinating to learn that tech worker activism dates back to the 1960s and that the ILWU fought for a contract for their workers to get paid whether or not they worked, profiting from automation.