Designing digital system to support participation and democratic practice within trade unions in the age of platform capitalism

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My research seeks to explore the following Research Questions:1. What are the challenges and barriers to participation are faced by members of trade unions in organising in the gig economy?2. How can design and technology increase participation amongst trade union members organizing in the gig economy?3. How can design and technology support democratic accountability mechanisms within trade unions organizing in the gig economy?The gig economy and platform capitalism, have changed the nature of work. The changes in employment have resulted in a growing imbalance between those who complete the work in the digital economy and those who own the platforms they work on. In the past workers have relied on the mainstream Trades Union Congress (TUC) affiliated trade unions to exercise collective power and bring about positive change. However the changing nature work and the diminishing role and influence of the mainstream trade union movement have seen workers have come together to express collective power in new non TUC affiliated trade unions.Human Computer Interaction (HCI) researchers have shown-that for many workers part of working in the digital economy involves being subject to power imbalances that contribute to the social harm and human cost that is related to work in the digital economy.HCI researchers have worked with various groups-from local government institutional partners to organisations in the third sector and NGOs- to co-create and co-produce new and novel technology. However previous research with those working in the digital economy to produce technology is limited. Often the platforms used and the technologies used are produced for workers- not with workers. Resulting in systems that exist to produce profit at the expense of those who complete the work. This exacerbates the human cost of the platforms and contributes negatively to major societal issues.This PhD aims to produce novel technologies that have been co-designed with workers within the 'gig economy' who are members of a trade union that represents those who work in the digital economy.Members of the trade union are in branches for their particular industry and take part in campaigns and actions that are based around the company they work for. The levels of participation beyond individual campaigns is limited. This research aims to understand the barriers to participation and respond to the issues uncovered using novel digital technologies to address the factors that limit access to the democratic structures that are accountable to them.This PhD will explore how novel digital technology can be used to increase participation and strengthen democratic accountability within trade unions. By partnering with a trade union engaged in organising workers in the digital economy, this PhD aims to design novel digital systems that support the rank and file membership express democratic power within their organisation. This PhD will work with members of a trade union to design and implement systems that enable members to take part in the decision making processes of the trade union. This works aims to produce systems that reduce distance between workers and the structures that represent them and increase the efficacy of accountability mechanisms.