Union-Built Computers Support Labor Movement

While some American consumers make a purposeful choice to purchase union-built automobiles and union-made clothing, they tend to pay less attention to the conditions under which their electronics are manufactured. Have you ever heard of computers assembled by union labor? I know I hadn't. I had just assumed that the labor movement and computer manufacturers existed in mutually exclusive universes and that it would be near-impossible to find a computer company in which employees were empowered to advocate for their own fair wages and treatment. But I was wrong.

While it's unlikely that we'll be seeing 100% union-made computers (with all parts, assembly, and support by union members) anytime soon, some progress is being made: one small company has begun to sell and support union-built computers in response to other manufacturers' decisions to use non-union labor, usually abroad.

In 2001, a group of labor movement activists decided to turn their vision for a labor-friendly computer company into a reality by creating Union Built PC. With the goal of supporting both domestic and international labor unions, this company takes all the innards (union-made parts whenever possible) and employs union workers to assemble them, sell them to buyers, and provide support under a reasonable warranty. In just a few years, Union Built PC has grown to sell not just union-built desktop and laptop computers but also servers, projectors, and even labor union management software.