New Social Media: Building Transnational Solidarity from the Work-floor

7/29/2019 New Social Media: Building Transnational Solidarity from the Work-floor

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New Social Media:

Building Transnational Solidarityfrom the Work-floor

A User Guide forUnion members

and labour activists

TIE-Netherlands and NetwOrganisationAmsterdam - May 2012





hand, workers and activists would use these tools also in their local solidaritynetworks, workplace committees, and organising teams.

There are several challenges to meet when using socialmedia tools for international trade union works. Theresurely are differences between languages and cultures. That is why it is important to know how to use onlinetranslation possibilities when communicating with peoplewho speak different languages and have culturalbackgrounds. Face to face video conferencing would alsobe an essential tool for building and keeping stronger tiesfrom a long distance. Besides there are security and

privacy risks that we need to consider seriously. In order to avoid being tracedby employers, union busters, or government agents and minimise risks of control and surveillance we need to take certain measures. In this brochure wewill also discuss about these problems and possible solutions. For instance wecan chose secure ‘open source’ or ‘free software’ applications. These tools are

not owned and managed by commercial entities and most of the time theyrespect privacy of users. When we use such tools in our union work, we have tobe aware of these issues.

The list below includes several popular commercial tools for computers, tabletsand smart phones. Besides we present non-commercial alternatives that usefree and open source software. Considering the rapid development of socialmedia, it was not possible to cover all of respective tools and to evaluate allpossibilities in the brochure. Therefore we have an interactive wiki versionavailable online via http://tie.wikia.com. We will be adding instructions andvideo tutorials into this online version which contains detailed information on

how to set up and use different tools and any specific functions they have.Wiki-pages are websites the content of which may be easily modified byvisitors. This means that everyone is able to add his/her ideas or experienceson the online version of this brochure.

1. Go to the link: http://tie.wikia.com,

2. Press the 'edit' button where you want to add/change something,3. Make the changes you wish and click on 'save'.

We tried our best using as less technical language as possible. But this is not

always possible when you talk about the social media. Therefore at the end of this document you will find a small dictionary where explanations on technicalterms used in the text are included. There is also a list of internet addresses forthe websites referred in this brochure and where you may find moreinformation on relevant tools.

Stronger ties withonline networking tools

Dutch trade unions have been experimenting with socialmedia and online social networking tools such as followings:

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• FNV Bondgenoten built Job Circle and Mijn FNV B

• Abvakabo FNV developed Virtueel Kantoor to be utilizedby their members

• FNV Bouw has been experimenting with Vakbond 3.0,and

• FNV Vakcentraal launched the FNV Panel very recently.

Besides, the Dutch unions have been active on popular social network sites. Asan example; an International Solidarity page has been created on Facebookin order for creating links among those members active in internationalsolidarity projects of different unions. Since the objective is to link Dutch unionsand union members, above tools are operating in Dutch. If we want to engagedirectly with our colleagues from different countries we might need to usemultilingual global networking sites. We may link our international and nationalties to each other by using our union’s own social network tools in combinationwith international ones.

Facebook & Google + are the two largest commercialinternational online social networking sites. Facebookhas over one billion active users (December 2012), morethan half of which ‘sign in’ on daily basis and again morethan half using the site via a mobile device. Google + isa much newer service but already has about 500 millionusers (December 2012), 235 million of which use the siteevery month. Because of their large user base, Facebookand Google + can be very useful for unions i.e., forobtaining transparency, subscribing new members and

running large scale public campaigns.

Share information with your networkcarefully, consciously and regularly

These network sites may also be very powerful toolswhen linking union members from different countriesand building constant communication betweenworkers at the base. They would enable them to

spread the knowledge they gain at the shop floor between their unions and

towards wider public. This could be done simultaneously in several countries. Itwould also be a good strategy to use several networks in parallel in order forincreasing possible impacts.

Both Facebook and Google + are multilingual tools that may be run oncomputers, tablets and smart phones with such various operating systems asMac, Windows, Linux, Android, and IOS. In order to join Facebook or Google+you need to go their websites and create an account by filling a shortregistration form. In order to confirm your registration you need to click on thelink that is sent to your email address. When accomplished this you are almostin! For Facebook it may take 72 hours to open a new account.

Once you have an account you will be able to build a 'profile' by submittinginformation of your own and handling your privacy set up. Privacy settingallows you to decide which information you want to share with others. You may

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search for your ‘friends’ and invite them to join your network. They must firstaccept your friendship request. If they do so then you will be able to see theprofiles of your friends, who their friends are, and what they share or do onFacebook or Google+. People in your network may see your profile andactivities as well.

Facebook accounts may be directly linked with other online tools like Twitterand Skype. If you have an account on any other social media, it would bepossible for you sharing information across different networks at once.

• Go to http://www.facebook.com or https://plus.google.com to create aFacebook or Google+ account as described above

• Handle your privacy settings carefully, allow only your friends to seeyour private details

• Use search bar to look for and connect with your friends and colleagues• Check ‘friends list’ or ‘circles’ of your friends to see who is there

whom you would like to connect with• Search the name of your union and connect with the people you might

know already

Facebook and Google + combines such services as email, SMS,instant relay chat, video and audio calls, and micro-blogging.Such features may enable users who speak different languagesto keep in touch for sharing photos, videos, and otherinformation. On Facebook it is possible to view the translation of

any shared text on the active page. When your friends on Facebook do 'like',

'share', or 'comment' on your actions such will be seen and spread across thenetworks of others. There are comparable 'actions' or functions on Google + aswell, i.e., giving +1 to or sharing any items that were shared by others.

Relatively safer and more efficient way torealise a sustained international exchangeamong union activists may be to create'closed' work groups or pages on Facebook orGoogle +. You may add or invite your peersand colleagues to join the group or like thepage you created for sharing relevant and non-

risky information. You may also create an'event' to schedule a meeting and invite others, or just for the sake of spreading information.

UnionBook is particularly for networking withother unionists. It was set up by LabourStartfirst in 2008 and originally conceived as akind of labour-centred alternative toFacebook. Through the years it has become a

congregation point for more than five thousand unionists, members,

labour activists and academics from all over the world. In order tocreate a UnionBook account, similarly, you need to register to the site.

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https://plus.google.com/

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If you want to make contact with other unionists working in the same area asyourself, UnionBook may be a good alternative toFacebook and Google +. It may also be acomplementary tool to your exchange activities.While keeping in touch with your colleagues fromdifferent countries on UnionBook, you may link upwith other unionists and let them know aboutwhat you are up to. There are already more than200 work groups on UnionBook to which you may join. You will be able to build a work group for yournetwork and share information in available space. If you set up an open group,all other UnionBook members will be able to see what is being shared in thegroup on the main page of Unionbook. You may share photos, music, video andpost blog items on the main page UnionBook.

The business model and privacy policy of Facebookand Google + is very problematic, especially for union

members and activists. Since they collect all possibledata about their users and sell them to any interestedthird party, i.e., advertisement companies. Thecurrent value of Facebook is estimated as 100 billionUS Dollars. This figure indicates the value of information regarding its users for companies.Facebook does observe, keep records of, classifies,

and sell such information as telephone numbers, talks, and contents of messages, shared files, visited sites, current location and all range of activity of its users to companies. Google has recently adopted a new privacy andsurveillance policy that also bears serious threats for union members and

activists. Using such tools without being alert and cautious about what we aresharing and doing online would mean taking serious risks for all but especiallythose workers and activists involved in online exchange. There are severalcomparable private networking tools on the Internet, such as MySpace, Hyves,and Orkut. In our opinion the safest options for unionists is to use free and opensource alternatives, such as Diaspora, N-1, and Crabgraass. You may finddetailed information on these tools on the online version of this brochureherein.

• Go to http://unionbook.org and register Unionbook to create a profile for

yourself • Create a Group on Unionbook for your network and invite people from

your network to join this group• Invite your colleagues to join Unionbook and your Unionbook group• Share your thoughts, ideas, or information about your union activities

on your Unionbook group and profile

Email lists would allow members of the solidarity network to

send emails to all the group members at once

• Collect the email addresses of the participants of the solidarity project

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you involved• Go to http://groups.gmail.com and create a Gmail Group• Add email addresses of your friends to the Group and start with sending

a test email• Use Google Translator or Gmail translation function to translate your

emails

• Use your group to share information, plan and schedule your collectiveactivities

Email lists

Although they have already become traditional,Email lists and discussion groups still play animportant role in building internationalcommunication channels. They are very functionalwhen it comes to connecting individuals fromdifferent countries on a daily basis. Especially smart

phones that can access internet and email accountsrevalue these tools. In order to maintain strong tiesbetween network members they are compatible toonline social networks. They are also very useful to share large and privateinformation that you would not like put on your social network page.

When a group of union members meet around a table for an internationalproject for the first time as first thing to do they often exchange their emails. The group can start communicating immediately by forming an email list on Yahoo, Gmail or on a secure server after the meeting. In order to do so from a Yahoo or Gmail Group you will just need to register to Yahoo or Gmail and

get an email address. Then login to Yahoo or Gmail, go to Groups page andclick on Start your group or Create Group.

As the first step you choose a category for your email group and then write ashort description for the group. As the next step you chose which email addressyou want to use when managing the list. Administrators of such list will be ableto add and delete colleagues' email addresses to and from respective list, orinvite them to join in. An email list would allow members of the solidaritynetwork to send emails to all the group members at once.

Tools for

Cybermeetings and WebinarsWeb-conferencing and webinar (online seminar) tools allow usersto organise online meetings through Internet. Using these toolsunion activists or workers from factories located in differentcountries could form regular study and exchange groups. In suchgroups we may learn from each other in a systematic way; wecould do mapping, compare our work place situations, and

understand the conditions in different plants of any company soon. It would be possible to develop common strategies, coordinate or solidarityactions with unionists from other countries. We may do this via Internet runningon a personal computer at home, at unions’ workplace office, at an internet

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café or on a mobile device wherever we are at particular moment, withoutbeing have to travel to another country.

Skype is one of the most known real-time online conferencetools. You can download it via Internet and use it for free. It isvery easy to install Skype and it works with all operatingsystems running on a PC, Mac, smart phones or tablets. Afterthe installation you will have to create an account bychoosing a Skype name and password to start. You will needthese to login Skype. In order to make calls you will alsoneed a set of tools like speakers or headphones, amicrophone and a camera.

Skype combines several functions that may be used to hold an online meeting.Using these functions, activists may organise international trainings, seminars,workshops and strategy meetings. You may make free Skype-to-Skype audio orvideo calls, call land lines, make video or teleconference calls at minimal costs.

Skype also offers SMS, real-time chat and fax capacity, and file and screensharing.

You may download other Apps, such asSkype call recorder, white board, or real-timechat translation. You do this by clicking first‘ Apps’ and then ‘Get Apps’ buttons you willfind on the upper bar menu under the Toolsoption. If you run these Apps when you arelogged in Skype, they function as extensionof Skype. This happens automatically. Screen

sharing and white board would allow you tomake power point presentations and collective drawings, to work on an agendaor map together, or share what every one of you see on your desktop screenwith others in the call.

The real-time chat function may be used to askturn to speak, or pass other information to theparticipants and take the minutes of a meeting.Video and teleconferences may also be recordedand saved for later uses. Real-time chat translation

allows activists who cannot speak each others'languages to communicate at a very basic level.Skype works in all the major languages, so all

participants may use the program in their own languages. Interpreters may beadded on calls, via a computer, tablet or smart-phone running Skype, or via alandline without Internet. The person at the other end does not always need tobe on Skype, nor have a computer. Calls to landlines are cheap, although notfree (1 cent/min.). This allows including participants with slower internetconnection in meetings from any telephone with a low cost (billed on caller). The other option is having interpreters in a physical space where one or someof particular participants are based.

If you download and use Skype on your smart phone and you have Internetconnection, than it is free to join in any call or meeting wherever you are.

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Google Talks, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo Messenger may be used asalternatives to Skype.

• Create a Skype or AnyMeeting account for yourself and invite people in youremail group, or Facebook or Google+ friends to do the same

• Do several experimenting meetings with your local colleagues on Skype orAnyMeeting and then try to arrange bilingual meetings with colleagues fromanother country

• Use your email list or social network links to schedule and plan these meetings• Take the minutes of, record and save the meetings for later evaluation and

reporting

BigBlueButton is a free and opensource version of private online seminartools as AnyMeeting is. It is totally free

to download and use BigBlueButton while the free version of AnyMeeting allows only up till 200 participants per meeting. BigBlueButtonworks on Mac, UNIX, FOSS operating systems and Android phones. It does notsupport Windows. AnyMeeting works also on Windows and you do not need anyadditional program in order for running it.

BigBlueButton is designed by software developersworking at several universities originally for thepurpose of long distance higher education.AnyMeeting is on the other hand designed for themarket, for instance to organise board and meetings

or stuff trainings. Such tools could be very powerfulin the hands of union members at the shop-floor. They both bring most of the features we mentioned for together on only onepage.

Multiple users on these tools may share their web-cams at the same time. There is no built-in limit onthe number of simultaneously active web-cams forBigBlueButton. For the free version of AnyMeeting200 participants is the limit. Both systems support

voice conferencing. Participants need speakers orheadphones, cameras and microphones to join inmeetings. It is possible to record meetings (slides +

audio + chat) for later uses. For AnyMeeting it is also possible to schedule ameeting and send emails to invite to or remind people of the meeting.Participants may call in a meeting via land line or mobile phones. Both software allow presenters to broadcast theirdesktop screens, upload any PDF presentation, officedocument and keep everyone in sync with theircurrent page, zoom, pan, and see presenters’ mouse

pointer. On a BigBlueButton meeting, whiteboardcontrols let you to annotate and call out key parts of your presentation for viewers. Participants may

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digitally raise their hands to ask turn. And it is possible to changepresenters/moderators.

Skype and private tools in general bear risks for unionmembers and activists. It is not recommended to usethese tools when collaborating with colleaguesfrom countries with highly repressive context. If wehave to, we need to use these tools with caution. Forexample we can open accounts with nick names, avoidsharing risky information, and use simple encryption.

BigBlueButton is not privately owned and it may be run only on Mac, UNIX, andopen source and free operating systems. This makes it safer for unionactivities. There are several alternatives to BigBlueButton and AnyMeeting.Among examples are Yugma, WebEx, Freebinar, Vyew, Mikago, Dim Dim, FuzeMeeting, GoToMeeting, Open Meetings, and Zoho.

Online ‘Mapping’ groups

Production Mapping is a method through whichemployees may collectively build knowledgeabout their workplace and their own role inproduction processes. This method assumes thatworkers have the latest and detailed informationabout production because they are the mostimportant part of process. Local groups fromdifferent provinces or countries would useproduction mapping to strengthen their collectivework. By utilizing online meetings and using such

tools as Skype or AnyMeeting, workers will be able to share and analyse any data they

collect through production mapping. Online tools make it possible to analyse any datacollected from different plants of multinationals located in different countries. Wherethere are different languages involved, help from a translator would be necessary inthe course of meetings.

Preparations for an online MAPEO meeting would include below steps:

• scheduling meetings, making appointments, setting up agenda, spreading keyinformation and agenda to respective participants,

• arranging translators, making sure that everybody has necessary software andhardware (microphones, head phones and cameras),

•

everybody is registered to a particular program will be used and added in contactlists

1. Before meetings everybody should be signed in Skype and get online. Thismeans that they are available for calls. Host of particular meeting would startcalling people in that meeting one by one. After participants shortly introducethemselves meeting may be commenced.

2. During meetings participants may share any information they collect fromtheir respective workplaces by sending and receiving photos, videos etc.Meeting may start with short presentations using apps of screen share or whiteboard (to be downloaded as described above). Local maps may be displayed forothers or a new map comparing any plants concerned (global chain) may be

drawn collectively.

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Bottom-up publishing for knowledge dissemination

The term Blog is short for 'web log'. It is a personal or small group journalpublished on the Web. It functions also as a website, often themed on a singlesubject. It consists of 'posts' typically displayed in reverse chronological order,so the most recent one appears first.

Same logic is limited to a much less characters for Micro-blogging.

Micro-blogging is called as "the SMS of the Internet." Both tools might beused by union activists to spread information about any events happening intheir respective workplaces or any experiences they gained in internationalsolidarity networks. By blogging or micro-blogging we may disseminate theresults of solidarity projects we involved, share meeting minutes, news, etc. inour local networks.

The distinction between blogs and websites is blurred by

free tools, such as WordPress, Joomla, and Bloggeretc. These programs make it easy building and managingwebsites without advanced computing skills. Anyonehaving an account and attained an admin role may usethe 'dashboard' or 'control panel' to add posts, polls, forms, chat facilities,

news-feeds, forums and many of any other features andchange outlook of the blog.

WordPress is an open source software, and it isthe most flexible and innovative one. WithWordPress one is also able to create a password-

protected section which makes for a quick “extranet” or social network for closed inter

group communication. It is also possible to link your blog posts toyour social networking accounts. In this way, whenever you postsomething new on your blog it may be directed to any other networksyou are linked to. So where it is desired any information may bespread to a much broader audience.

• Go to http://www.wordpress.com and start a test blog by clicking‘Start a Blog’.

•

Choose a name for your blog and work on its design by using thedashboard.• Write or collect texts, photos or videos about your activities and post

them on your blog• Connect your blog to your accounts on Facebook and Twitter so your

posts are directed to those sites as well. So it is possible to spread theinformation to a wider public.

Twitter is an online micro-blogging service that enables itsusers to send and read text-based posts of up to 140characters, known as "tweets". It was created in 2006 andrapidly gained worldwide popularity,with over 500 million users as of

2012, generating over 340 million tweets and handling

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over 1.6 billion search queries per day. Twitter is a web based service, so youdo not need to download any software on your computer. Yet again you need toregister Twitter website if you would want to have a Twitter account.

With Twitter-like tools we are able to bring information as it happens from asmany angles as there are participants. If we give up on “top down”communications and get encouraged to spread the knowledge wehave already at the basis, Twitter can become a massive newschannel for union activists. We can create “hashtags” to coverour events, negotiations and campaigns by simply adding ‘#’ infront of the word identified with the theme. Then we may add anyinformation we want to share with colleagues in other countries aswell as people in our local networks. It is also possible to send andreceive SMS via Twitter.

There are comparable micro-blogging tools like Friendfeed,Identi.ca, and Thimbl. Identi.ca is an open source tool. Thimbl is totally free and

distributed software which makes it safest of all the others.

• Go to http://twitter.com and create a Twitter account, and invite peopleyour network to do the same.

• Search your union, colleagues and friends, and ‘follow’ them• Check the ‘followers’ and ‘following’ lists of the people you ‘follow’ to

extend your network• Write short texts about your union activities and tweet them on your

profile, re-tweet the tweets you find interesting and want to spread

Translation and InterpretationAll the tools we reviewed so far are available in world’s major languages. Thismeans that union members and activists may use Skype, AnyMeeting,Facebook, Twitter, or blog tools in their own languages. It would however benecessary to think of solutions for language problems in broader terms whennetworking online on the international level.

We have already mentioned several possibilities above. You may downloadClown Fish to use chat translation function on Skype for chatting with

someone in another language, as it is described above. If it is installed, ClownFish starts automatically when you sign in Skype. It translates your sent andreceived chat messages.

For other tools it is possible to use such websites as Ortsbo. It is a real timechat translation tool that works as Clown Fish but may be linked to yourFacebook chat, Google Talk, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo Messenger accounts. Itmay translate between 50+ languages. Since it is a web based service it does

not require any separatesoftware. You do not need toregister to the websiteeither. But you would needMicrosoft Silverlightprogram running on your

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computer. Ortsbo operates with all operating systems on iPads, iPhones,Blackberry and, Android mobile devices. With Google Talk it is possible to useGoogle Translator for real time translation. BigBlueButton has its ownintegrated real time chat translation feature on it.

The aforementioned tools are currently under development and at the momentthey make basic interaction possible for people speaking different languages.Besides, Google and iPhone are currently working on a live interpretation tool.Until this futuristic tool becomes operational there are several things we coulddo for better communication, such as providing interpretation for onlinemeetings.

A simple solution would be including interpreters in the conference calls,meetings and online seminars we organise. This may be done via computers,land lines, ordinary mobile phones, smart phones or tablets. Where everythingis well planned a healthy conversation between three or four languages couldbe possible. Yet it would always be wise to form bilingual groups to decrease

the level of complexity and increase productivity. In order to find interpreterswe might get help from union experts or executives.

• Download Clown Fish: http://clownfish-translator.com and try to useit on Skype

• Go to http://www.ortsbo.com and follow the instructions to link yourFacebook chat with Ortsbo online translation program

• Go to http://translate.google.com/ and translate your emails in yourlanguage. Cut the email text and paste it on the first box, choose thelanguages for the original text and your language for the second box on

the right, then click translate.

Participation and Openness VS Security and PrivacyPrivacy-security risks could be extremely high for online union work andactivism. The global tendency towards more control and surveillance bygovernments and corporations, and rapid development of the technology inthis field is alarming. The capacity of employers and the states to gather informationand translate it into espionage againstemployers and activists is much higher today.

Depending on the legal context of anyrespective country we are talking about, wemay think of all kinds of threats for unionactivists and organised workers. These couldbe losing reputation, dramatic decrease inchances to find another job, getting fired, jailed, or even killed in somecountries. We therefore have to find a good balance between potential benefitsand risks.

We must balance openness, connectivity and safety when we work

with online tools.

The degree of protection or security we will need would be different in each

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country, sector and even work place. We might not need an equal degree of openness at every level of networking.

It is important to stay on the safe side and consider all the possibilities. In anycase, it would be necessary to know the legal context in any respectivecountry, our and our colleagues' rights, and what we want to achieve with thetools we use, before we commence anything. A safe option would be to preferfree and open source software over private ones where possible. If we have anydoubt about surveillance, we must use nick names and fake accounts. We mustavoid sharing any sensitive information that can give away our or ourcolleagues' real identities to public. We might use at least simple encryption byusing other words for example instead of names of the factory, city, etc.

• In case of higher risk use nick names when creating accounts andprofiles

• Learn about free and open source software and prefer to use thesekind of tools

• Do not share important or sensitive information publicly online• Make sure that you handled your Privacy Settings carefully and

consciously

Example of using social mediaduring internationalexchanges betweenunionists

In June 2010, a group of young union members and unionists from the Netherlandsparticipated in an international gathering in Turkey. The gathering was organised by

TIE-Netherlands and a partner organisation from Turkey. Around 200 young unionistsand shop-floor activists came together to network and exchange their experiences.Other participants were from Russia, Belarus, Brazil, South Africa and Turkey. Theexample below is constructed basing on the real experiences we had during andafter this gathering.

During the meetings and workshops interpreters had maintainedcommunication across five different languages.Bilingual exchange groups were formed in which one

interpreter facilitated the communication. During thebrakes interpreters rested. English speaking participantshelped others who were eager to learn more from theircomrades. There were cases in which participants couldengage in conversations about various topics includingtheir union work without a common language but insteadby using Google Translator.

After the event, names, telephone numbers, and email addresses were exchanged.Out of this gathering a solidarity group emerged in order to build a campaign tosupport the UPS workers resisting in Izmir. The Dutch group launched a local

campaign back in the Netherlands. Relationships were developed via Internet andmobile phones.

Brazilian, Dutch, Russian, Turkish and Belarusian colleagues formed a Facebook

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group, and in order to chat via Facebook they decided to use Ortsbo. Facebook'sown translation function also helped them to maintain basic communication to stay

in touch. They have also used such traditional tools as emails andSMS. They formed a Google Group and added all the email addressesto form an email list so that they could hold a sustainablecommunication channel for the network. For the translation of emailsthey have used Goggle Translator.

Some of the workers from this group who worked for automobilefactories in Russia, Belarus and Brazil decided to develop a closercommunication so that they would create a space for deeperexchange. They were eager to share the information they gained

through these exchanges on the local level with their friends at factories and in theirunions. The fact that they did not speak each others' languages was a barrier to beovercome for such work. What was an advantage however that Belarusian andRussian colleagues could communicate in Russian language.

Using Facebook and email list they agreed to organise Skype meetings in order totalk face to face. They created Skype accounts and added each other to their contactlists. Since the regimes in Russia and Belarus wereoppressive, colleagues from these countries decided to usenick names when opening their Skype accounts. They alldownloaded Clown Fish and started to use it on Skype forchat translation. They all got cameras and microphones tomake voice and video conferences. The basic bilingualgroup such as this one was formed and it was ready to startorganising systematic meetings.

As a next step they sat up an agenda to be discussed, they scheduled the meetingdate - after taking into account the differences between local times, and invited

someone who could interpret between Russian andPortuguese during calls. This person was a Portugueselinguistic student living in the US. He was called in themeetings held via a land line. So it did not cost himanything.

In the meetings participants took notes of conversationsand someone also recorded the meetings. After severalexperimental meetings and the group analysing theminutes and recordings, real meetings started.

When the group thought that there were important results coming up and these were

needed to be shared and spread, they formed a blog and posted these results on theblog. They linked the blog to their Facebook and Twitter accounts so that theinformation is spread in their local networks. They took due care that Russian andBelarusian government, or the employers cannot identify individuals and discoverabout this process.

Keywords

App: Short for Application SoftwareDownload: Receiving files from the Internet into your computerHardware: Hard and material parts of the tools and devices we useInstallation: Setting up a software or hardware on your computerIRC (Instant relay chat): A protocol for real-time internet text messagingLogin/Sign in: Confirming your user name and password to start a program

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Open Source: Software of which source code is open to all other computerprogrammers' useRegister/Sign up: Opening an account on any service providing softwareSoftware: Computer program written with special algorithms called codesUpload: Sending files from your computer to internetWebinar: Online seminarWiki: Collective online content creation tool or website

LinksOnline FNV social networksFNV Panel: https://www.fnvpanel.nlMijn FNV B:https://www.fnvbondgenoten.nl/lidmaatschap/mijn_fnv/online_profiel Job Circle: http://www.jobcircle.nl

FNV Bouw Vakbond 3.0: http://bouw.fnv.net/activityFNV Opdebouwplaats: http://opdebouwplaats.fnv.netAbvakabo Virtueel Kantoor: http://abvakabo.wboffice.nl/office/info/?FNV IS group on FB: http://www.facebook.com/groups/125057527563370

International Social NetworksFacebook: http://www.facebook.comGoogle+: https://plus.google.comUnionbook: http://unionbook.orgMySpace: http://www.myspace.comDiaspora: https://joindiaspora.com

N-1: https://n-1.ccCrabgraass: http://crabgrass.riseuplabs.org

Email listsGoogle Groups: https://groups.google.com Yahoo Groups: http://groups.yahoo.com

Web ConferencingSkype: www.skype.comMumble: www.mumble.comGoogle Talks: http://www.google.com/talkMSN Messenger: http://explore.live.com/messenger Yahoo Messenger: http://messenger.yahoo.com

WebinarsBigBlueButton: http://www.bigbluebutton.orgAnyMeeting: http://www.anymeeting.com Yugma: https://www.yugma.comFreebinar: http://www.freebinar.comVyew: http://vyew.comMikago: http://www.mikogo.com

Dim Dim: http://www.dimdim.comFuze Meeting: http://www.fuzemeeting.comGoToMeeting: http://www.gotomeeting.comOpen Meetings: http://www.openmeetings.de

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Zoho: http://www.zoho.com/meeting

BloggingWordpress: http://www.wordpress.comBlogger: http://www.blogger.comSquarespace: http://www.squarespace.com TypePad: http://www.typepad.com Joomla: http://www.joomla.org

Micro-blogging Twitter: http://twitter.comFriendsfeed: http://friendfeed.comIdentica: http://identi.ca Thimbl: http://www.thimbl.net Chat TranslationClown Fish: http://clownfish-translator.com/

Google Translator: http://translate.google.com/Ortsbo: http://www.ortsbo.com/

Colloborative pads:Pirate Pad: http://titanpad.com Titan Pad: http://piratepad.netEther Pad: http://etherpad.org

Media sharing YouTube: http://www.youtube.comVimeo: http://vimeo.com

Flickr: http://www.flickr.comPicasa: https://picasaweb.google.com Turtle: http://www.turtle4privacy.org/new

Live streamingBambuser: http://bambuser.comUstream: http://www.ustream.tvLivestream: http://www.livestream.com

Security and privacy

Mumble: http://www.mumble.comFreenode IRC: http://webchat.freenode.net Tor/Onion: https://www.torproject.org

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ColophonPrepared by NetwOrganisation for TIE-NetherlandsMay 2012, Amsterdam

Online -wiki- versionhttp://tie.wikia.com

TIE-Netherlandswww.tie-netherlands.nlContact: Marten van den BergeEmail: [email protected] NetwOrganisation networg.wordpress.com

Contact: Örsan ŞenalpEmail: [email protected]

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Documents

New Social Media: Building Transnational Solidarity from the Work-floor