| Core issue | Labor rights |
| Key changes | Rapid automation • Implementation of basic income • Rise of the Council of Global Unions • Emergence of virtual work unions |
| Time period | Alternate future |
| Activist methods | Online protest actions • Virtual spaces for organizing • Gig economy challenges |
| Notable entities |
Labor issues in the 21st and 22nd centuries have evolved in response to rapid technological change, trends in employment, and the rise of new forms of worker collectivization. Here are some of the most significant developments:
By 2030, automation and artificial intelligence enabled the displacement of over 50% of traditional jobs in manufacturing, agriculture, and service industries. This technological revolution left millions of workers unemployed or forced into low-wage work.
In this emerging global scenario, the Council of Global Unions (CGU) emerged as the major force coordinating and unifying union efforts across borders. The council was established to form a united front against multinational corporations, the gig economy, and automation-driven job losses. Its power and influence grew as traditional unions joined forces and formed cross-industry alliances.
Responding to widespread automation and unemployment, governments implemented guaranteed basic income programs as a form of social safety net. This provided workers with a guaranteed income floor below which they could not fall, often regardless of employment status. Implementation differed between countries, but the basic income became a foundational pillar of labor response to automation.
As a result of the basic income, a new class of "precariate" workers emerged. These workers, often freelancers and temp workers, leveraged their income base to participate in non-traditional gig economy work. While some workers welcomed the flexibility and diversity offered by gig jobs, others faced low pay, difficult working conditions, and minimal labor protections.
As the majority of workers shifted into remote, virtual, and gig-based work, traditional unions struggled to adapt. In response, new forms of worker organization emerged in virtual spaces to reflect the changing nature of employment.
Digital freelancer unions and virtual work collectives arose, made up of workers from across the globe. These unions employed blockchain-based voting and decision-making processes to democratize representation and decision-making. Some major achievements of virtual work collectives included the creation of industry-wide standards for pay and working conditions, as well as lobbying for regulation to govern virtual work.
The proliferation of the gig economy posed significant challenges to traditional organizing strategies. Gig workers performed short-term, on-demand tasks through digital platforms and often lacked a sense of shared identity with other workers.
Difficulties in organizing gig workers included distributed workplaces, high turnover rates, and a highly fragmented workforce. Some workers, particularly those displaced from traditional employment, found digital platforms to be a barrier to organizing and activism due to the non-physical nature of their interactions.
To address these challenges, labor organizations increasingly leveraged digital tools and online platforms to build connections and collective power among gig workers. They also forged connections with other movements focused on inequality, such as the platform cooperative and cooperative economy movements.
As the prevalence of technology grew, traditional forms of worker activism and protest were adapted to fit the digital age. Workers used social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to publicize labor disputes, organize demonstrations, and build solidarity with workers in their own and other countries.
Additionally, virtual spaces like Second Life enabled the creation of virtual picket lines and virtual strikes, drawing international attention to labor disputes. Activists also utilized digital tools to organize "culture jamming" campaigns that targeted multinational corporations, disrupting their operations both online and offline.
Overall, the evolution of labor issues was shaped by the rise of automation, the emergence of new forms of worker collectivization, and rapid shifts in the nature of work. Organizing strategies of the past had to adapt to address the unique challenges posed by the changing realities of work in the 21st and 22nd centuries.
