>Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1998 01:06:59 -0400 (EDT) >From: Hank Bromley <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >MIME-version: 1.0 >Precedence: bulk >Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re. Unions and Technology >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >A response from Frank Emspak that came directly to me, but which he has >agreed I should forward to the rest of the list: > >-- Hank Bromley > >---------- Forwarded message ---------- >Date: Sun, 04 Oct 1998 22:29:16 -0500 >From: Frank Emspak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: Unions and Technology > >I have been doing work in this area for many years. First as an >officer in my union when we advocated that technologies be designed to >enhance skill rather than eliminate it etc. There is a huge amount >of literature, position papers and so forth on this issue. I think it >is not accurate to say unions fought technology any more than it is >accurate to say professors fight distance learning. This issue is the >how and the method of implementation and specifically what is being >implemented. Second, David Noble has done a tremendous amount of work >on these issues, especially on the relationshop of Taylorism to n.c >techbology and the response of workers and unions generally. In >addition Michael Cooley from England (a union leader) has an excellent >little book Architect or Bee? which outlines some of his union's >concerns and ideas. The machinists (IAM) have a division set up to >teach about technology and to encourage the organization of high >performance work organizations (that is an intelligent integration of >technology and skill and work organization). They can be reached at the >IAM headquarters in Upper Marlboro Maryland. Don Kennedy is the >head of this group. In addition Steve Sleigh who is the Director of >research for the IAM has done a good deal of work on the subject both >with the IAM and elsewhere. >More over there is a group called the Social Effects of Automation >Technical Committee a subcommittee of the International Federation of >Automatic Control (a huge engineering professional organization) that >develops research, software etc that tries to develop the idea of the >computer aided craftsman. We have about 200 members world wide. If you >are interested in that you can write me. Likewise we have the >Participatory Design Committee of the Computer Professionals for Social >Responsibility which also works on similar lines. >Our institution- The School for Workers- also does alot in terms of >teaching unions and working with them to think through technological >alternatives that have positive results for workers and not just >profits. Two projects funded by the Federal Mediation and Concilliation >Service, and done in cooperation with industry are; An attempt to set >forth the design criteria for woodworking tools in the mill cabinet >industry and 2) an attempt to design a nursing information system that >would support the role of nurses as caregivers while at the same time >meeting the information needs of a large tertiary care hospital. > >If you want to pursue any of the above leads call or write. > >Frank Emspak >School for Workers >610 Langdon St, Madison Wi 53703; 608-262-0680. >
