You Deserve a Tech Union

With a foreword by Clarissa Redwine.

There’s a resurgent labor movement in the tech industry. Tech workers — designers, engineers, writers, and many others — have learned that when they stand together, they’re poised to build a better version of the tech industry. They haven’t stopped there: at companies from Kickstarter to Google, workers have formed unions. And you should, too.

But what are unions? And why do they matter? Ethan Marcotte answers these questions through extensive research and by interviewing tech workers with real-world union-building experience. Ethan shares these workers’ insights and stories, weaving them together to outline the process for forming a union of your very own. Because you — yes, you — deserve a tech union.

Does this look a bit different from your copy? No worries! I reacquired the rights to my book after my publisher closed its doors. If you own the version they released, this redesigned version has many small but important edits, but is basically unchanged.

Praise for You Deserve a Tech Union

A wonderful back-pocket book, perfect for any tech worker interested in powering up and getting a union.
Peter Olney, retired organizing director of the ILWU, co-editor of Labor Power and Strategy

A compelling and galvanizing read — not just for tech workers, but for anyone who is union-curious.
Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee

You Deserve a Tech Union is a how-to guide, a history lesson, and a manifesto all in one. Ethan Marcotte starts by laying out the case for unionization in tech, and ends with a rallying cry for using our power as workers. I wish we’d had this book as we organized the New York Times Tech Guild.
Nozlee Samadzadeh, member of the New York Times Tech Guild

This is the book we need. It’s direct, insightful, and actionable. It’s both candid and optimistic, like the people who do this sort of work. It reads like a conversation with a deeply knowledgeable friend who knows you, knows your power, and wants to help you step into it.
David Delmar Sentíes, founder of Resilient Coders, author of What We Build with Power: The Fight for Economic Justice in Tech

In You Deserve a Tech Union, Ethan outlines what aspiring union members (or the union-curious) need to do to get started. From history to resources, from planning and organizing, this book is invaluable to tech workers who want better workplaces and lives.
Sameera Kapila, author of Inclusive Design Communities

Ethan’s book demystifies unions and bridges the gap between the ideals of organized labor and the realities — both beautiful and challenging — of unionizing tech orgs just like yours. If you’re ready to start building a better way to work, this is the book I would put in your hands.
Erin Kissane, author of The Elements of Content Strategy