In a significant move for the UK's tech and entertainment sectors, hundreds of non-unionised workers from tech behemoth Apple and streaming giant Netflix are launching a major organising campaign. They are joining forces with one of Britain's largest unions, the GMB, to collectively demand better pay, improved conditions, and fairer treatment.
A New Chapter for Tech Worker Rights
The campaign, announced on Wednesday, marks a pivotal shift as employees from these famously non-unionised companies seek strength in numbers. This effort is poised to challenge the long-standing status quo in an industry often criticised for its resistance to formalised labour organising.
Beyond the Hollywood Strikes: A UK Movement
While high-profile strikes by writers and actors in Hollywood brought global attention to entertainment industry labour disputes last year, this new UK-based campaign shows that the push for workers' rights is far from over. It signals a growing mobilisation that is now spreading to corporate offices and behind-the-scenes staff on British soil.
The GMB's Strategic Push
The GMB union is strategically targeting key urban centres where these companies have a significant workforce. The union has announced plans to station organisers outside Apple stores in major cities like London and Glasgow. Furthermore, the campaign will extend to the homes of Netflix employees, highlighting the unique challenges faced by remote and hybrid workers in the digital age.
This ambitious organising drive represents a new front in the ongoing battle for workers' rights within some of the world's most powerful and influential companies, potentially setting a new precedent for the entire UK tech and entertainment landscape.
