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arXiv · 2603.03130

Surveillance, Spacing, Screaming and Scabbing: How Digital Technology Facilitates Union Busting

Frederick Reiber·Nathan Kim·Allison McDonald·Dana Calacci
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Abstract

Despite high approval ratings for unions and growing worker interest in organizing, employees in the United States still face significant barriers to securing collective bargaining agreements. A key factor is employer counter-organizing: efforts to suppress unionization through rule changes, retaliation, and disruption. Designing sociotechnical tools and strategies to resist these tactics requires a deeper understanding of the role computing technologies play in counter-organizing against unionization. In this paper, we examine three high-profile organizing effort--at Amazon, Starbucks, and Boston University--using publicly available sources to identify four recurring technological tactics: surveillance, spacing, screaming and scabbing. We analyze how these tactics operate across contexts, highlighting their digital dimensions and strategic deployment. We conclude with implications for organizing in digitally-mediated workplaces, directions for future research, and emergent forms of worker resistance.

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Frederick Reiber, Nathan Kim, Allison McDonald, Dana Calacci. 2026-03-03. Surveillance, Spacing, Screaming and Scabbing: How Digital Technology Facilitates Union Busting. https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.03130

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