Some business-types lend themselves to a new model for the customer-management-workers matrix.
For example, security companies, the sort who hire out bouncers to nightclubs. The business model is simplistic, it is labor-intensive, and the customers (the nightclubs) are very immersed and engaged.
A super-union is where all of the workers operate as a single entity. It is a higher-form of collective bargaining. It can work when what the workers offer is readily mobile and easily offered to a higher bidder. In a large city, for bouncers, that works.
(you might also find that business-types that suit this model might also be corrupt…)
A customer-collective is like a union of customers. They too operate as a hive. They make decisions collectively.
In this case, the customer-collective (the nightclubs) and the super-union (the security guards) jointly hire the security management. The management aren’t bosses, they don’t hire and fire. They operate the logistics – they order uniforms, they organise schedules, they do payroll. They are sub-ordinate to the other parties, instead of them being in charge.
Discipline (someone not turning up for work) is handled by the workers, collectively.
Fees being paid (a nightclub doesn’t pay their share) is handled by the clubs, collectively.
A fourth party, impartial and used to help negotiate on wages and conditions, completes the system. They are paid for by both parties equally. For this example industry, it could be one person, ad-hoc, part-time, is needed for that role.
What do we gain?
- Autonomy and the removal of a owner-worker hierarchy
- Lean, disempowered middle-management
- No profits to extract
- No power imbalance