[P2P-F] Unions for Immaterial Production?

[Patrick Anderson]

I just noticed:

http://AnDevUni.org

"""
The Android Developers Union

    We, the members and supporters of the Android Developers Union,
are fed up with the conditions of the Android Market. We are tired of
being treated like sharecroppers on Google's digital plantation! We
have compiled a list of seven demands which Google can implement to
improve the Market. Implementing these demands will absolutely improve
the working conditions for Android developers, thereby improving the
Android ecosystem and giving a better experience to our customers.
"""


Notice their approach is the same as traditional unions:  To create
artificial scarcity of some skill.

This approach is destined to fail as the Means of Production continues
to become cheaper.

Wages and Profits approach zero as Barriers to Entry are reduced.

This applies also to the "3D Printing" and "Tabletop Manufacturing"
phenomenon - since, when *anyone* can manufacture some thing, there is
no longer any way to prop Wages, and the difference between Price and
Cost will be meaningless (Profit is undefined when Consumers own the
Means of Production).

The only viable approach I can see is to begin protecting the "other
side of the equation" -> meaning, we must protect the Worker's ability
to Consume by helping them organize to have ownership in the Means of
Production from which they need the Outputs instead of trying to own
the Means of Production for which they happen to have skills in
operating.

So, instead of Workers trying to own the factory where they work, they
instead direct-invest* in things like Milk Dairies, Chicken Farms,
Avocado Orchards, etc. because those are the Sources of the things
they actually need, and let the potential Consumers of what they
produce own that factory.

(*) By 'direct-invest' I mean the Consumers would invest to co-own the
Fields, Farms etc. and be 'paid' (their ROI) in Product instead of
Profit - for the Product would never be sold since it would already be
the property of those who intend to actually use it.