Business Partners Create New IT Workers Group

Lisa Hoover 0 498 Views

Every so often the idea of an IT worker's union or lobbyist group comes up, but it appears most people in the tech sector are . Business partners Jack Edwards and James Smith understand, and say they have a solution: the (IITW).

Edwards says he's been mulling the idea for years and drew on his experience as a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) when deciding how not to structure the organization. InfoWorld's , "[Edwards] remembers one particular day when he was managing a crew that was performing a time-sensitive electrical job. The project was quite complicated, and his crew fell behind.

"I have never been one to sit back and watch other people work, so I jumped in and helped complete the job," Edwards said. "An IBEW union rep told me that it was against the bylaws for me to be doing the work, so I quit the union."

The mission of the IITW is to help its members with many of the important challenges facing IT workers today, including legal guidance, acquisition of healthcare, financial assistance, and educational services.

The partners are currently looking at various funding options but are already accepting new members for no cost, though they plan to begin charging in early 2009. Professional IT associations are nothing new -- the AITP and the IEEE Computer Society have been doing something similar for years -- but anything that helps tech workers organize to fight outsourcing and 60-hour workweeks is a great idea in my book.

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As points out, the “IT workers group” idea keeps coming up. Treat any newly formed organization like a small company: do basic due diligence before signing up, paying dues, or relying on promised benefits. If the goal is collective bargaining or workplace action, federal labor law protects employees’ right to organize and to act together — but organizing a bargaining representative is a different legal process than forming a member services association. (nlrb.gov)

Practical vetting checklist (ask the organizers for these, in writing):

  1. Articles of incorporation / state filing and proof of good standing (search your Secretary of State records).
  2. EIN and tax status plus recent Form 990s (if they claim nonprofit status use the IRS Tax‑Exempt Organization Search).
  3. Bylaws, membership agreement, dues/refund policy, board roster and elections process.
  4. Copies of any vendor/service contracts (health plans, attorneys, insurance).
  5. Financial statements or audit reports and a conflict‑of‑interest policy.
    Those documents are the fastest way to check legitimacy and public reporting. (sba.gov)

Watch these red flags: vague governance, promises of legal or medical benefits without named vendors/attorneys, pressure to pay before seeing bylaws, or no transparent budget. Also be aware of worker‑classification and benefits implications if organizers propose contractor‑style arrangements — federal guidance on employee vs independent contractor status has been updated recently and matters for rights and benefits. (dol.gov)

If unsure, compare the offer against established models (professional associations, cooperatives, or unions), request an independent review (trusted local nonprofit counsel or accountant), and contact the NLRB regional office with questions about representation or protected concerted activity. Keeping questions documented and asking for public filings will protect members and clarify what the group can actually deliver. (nlrb.gov)

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