Dot-commers of the world unite

A few years back, TV presenter and blue collar champion Michael Moore could be seen campaigning on behalf of staff employed by giant US book chain Borders.

His demands weren't unusual. Mainly non-unionised Borders workers in the US wanted reasonable pay levels and improved working conditions. It was a straightforward tussle, the type seen in all types of industries for most of the last century. So when the question of unionisation at dot-coms raises its head, we shouldn't be surprised. And it just so happens that the debate is now centring on one of the new economy's biggest names, also known as a bookseller - Amazon.com. Trades unions claim around 5,000 of its US warehouse and distribution workers will vote in favour of unionisation by the end of the year. Meanwhile, some workers in France have caught the attention of that country's postal workers' union. Amazon is a great example of the type of dot-com increasingly having to face real world issues. Although there are new economy aspects to its business - most obviously its business model and web front-end - at heart it is a large logistics and retail outfit that requires the same hum-drum duties carried out as most companies. Other successful dot-coms will also have to face this issue. The Trades Union Congress in the UK pointed out companies can't forever employ 25 year olds who are burnt out by the ripe old age of 30. In the early days of a start-up working all hours is a given, but as businesses grow and mature, best practice means allowing for things like working conditions as well as maternity and sick leave. Dot-coms like Amazon shouldn't fear this. For one, it shows they've made it. And if the lessons of the last century have been learnt, they'll know good employee relations will ultimately benefit company higher-ups and shareholders too.