The Collective Action in Tech project has just released its latest guide: "a guide to organize tech workers to support the anti-racism movement."
collectiveaction.tech/blm
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collectiveaction.tech/blm
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The guide starts by acknowledging that tech has a history and a present of shoring up anti-Black racism, from IBM's role in Apartheid to algorithmic bias to harassment and discrimination in tech workplaces.
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It repeats Jamelle Bouie's assertion that anti-racism is a stepping stone towards (and dependent upon) universal liberation: racial discrimination and violence are part of the project to divide working people, and overcoming them unites us all.
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And Black workers have historically been the most oppressed workers of all, a pattern repeated in tech, where Black workers are more likely to be gig workers, warehouse workers, or other precarious, poorly compensated workers.
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To solve this, the authors say "we must recognize that workers in a system biased against them cannot shoulder the burdens and risks alone while also fighting oppression in the workplace."
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To that end, they make a series of concrete, well-defined recommendations:
I. Build a collective: start with an "inner circle" of trusted people; each of you build "outer circles."
II. Secure organizers: divide up information so that a single snitch can't rat you all out.
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I. Build a collective: start with an "inner circle" of trusted people; each of you build "outer circles."
II. Secure organizers: divide up information so that a single snitch can't rat you all out.
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III. Map out strategic outreach goals: which groups in your org will join with you and how will you reach them?
IV. Fortify perspectives: "cultivate support that amplifies the demands of fellow Black coworkers without doubling down on the daily burden of systemic racism."
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IV. Fortify perspectives: "cultivate support that amplifies the demands of fellow Black coworkers without doubling down on the daily burden of systemic racism."
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V. Measure support: Get people to tell you how much action they're willing to take so you have realistic expectations.
VI. Build Bridges: "try not to let the idea of bad faith divide worker power"
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VI. Build Bridges: "try not to let the idea of bad faith divide worker power"
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VII. Reach Critical Mass: "Err on the side of caution and push for more support than you think you'll need."
VIII: Identify demands: Measurable goals that hold leadership accountable
(they include templates for demand letters)
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VIII: Identify demands: Measurable goals that hold leadership accountable
(they include templates for demand letters)
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IX: Take action: work stoppages, open letters, social media campaigns, sick-outs, strikes, visible actions
X: Protect each other: Know your labor law, protest retaliation.
Also included: templates for organizing conversations and letters to management.
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X: Protect each other: Know your labor law, protest retaliation.
Also included: templates for organizing conversations and letters to management.
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The organizers are soliciting feedback to improve this toolkit.
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