Striking with social media: The contested (online) terrain of workplace conflict

Abstract

PostprintThis is the accepted version of a paper published in Organization. This paper has been peer-reviewed but does not include the final publisher proof-corrections or journal pagination.Citation for the original published paper (version of record):Upchurch, M., Grassman, R. (2015) Striking with social media: The contested (online) terrain of workplace conflict. The contested (online) terrain of workplace conflict AbstractIn this paper we review the workplace battleground and explore the potential of social media for mobilizing social movements in labour conflicts and beyond.By conducting a case study with empirical accounts obtained from the 2010/2011 British Airways cabin crew dispute in the UK, along with secondary sources, we discern social media in the workplace as a contested field. Inquiring into the unfolding dynamic of social media and workplace conflict, we investigate the mobilizing prospects of theoretical concepts like 'distributed discourse' and 'accelerated pluralism' through the analytical prism of our interviews (Bimber, 1998;. Our analysis of these empirical accounts will tease out certain empowering potentials in the use of social media to shape discourse and mobilize movement. However, we also note that these same communicative actions may challenge internal union authority, generate counter-mobilizing efforts and constitute an integral part in exposing both our private and working lives to the processes of marketization and commodification.

Unions and social media: Prospects for gender inclusion

“…As Panagiotopoulos and Barnett (, p. 510) noted, ‘the Internet cannot only be treated as an add‐on that is likely to enhance communications, but also as an element of union transformation’. Building on the work outlined above, an emerging body of research explores how unions might use these technologies in political campaigns and to mobilize workers (Hodder & Houghton, ; Upchurch & Grassman, ; Wood, ). At the same time, though, scholars have cautioned about over‐estimating the implications of SM for unions so far.…”

“…The democratizing potential of SM for unions is also contested. According to Upchurch and Grassman (), in providing ‘“horizontalist” forms of distributing the means of expressing and framing the discourse (p. 643)’, social networking sites have the potential to challenge traditional hierarchical power relations within unions. However, as Hodder and Houghton () observed, forms of SM can still enable unions to control the message and content of communication, and hence reinforce the leadership's power and authority.…”

‘The kids are alert’: Generation Y responses to employer use and monitoring of social networking sites

“…The rapid development and uptake of SNSs reflects the most contemporary of such forms. Such issues have sparked an interest in theorising these growing tensions as employers seek to control employee use of SNSs (Pedersen et al ., ; Upchurch and Grassman, ; McDonald and Thompson, ).…”

Confusion and collectivism in the ICT sector: Is FLOSS the answer?

“…Research by Bimber (1998) and McBride and Stirling (2014) have found that the Internet can contribute to trade union activity via the development of issue-focused groups and protest networks. For Upchurch and Grassman (2015), in their study of social media usage during the BA dispute, the Internet represented a source of collective support and mobilisation -yet one that needed to be rooted in traditional trade union activity.…”

“…Lücking and Pernicka, 2009) and second, to contribute to the growing body of work on virtual spaces as organising forums (e.g. Cohen and Richards, 2015;Upchurch and Grassman, 2015). Unlike other work in the field (e.g.…”