FAQ

What is a sectoral union?

Sectoral unions are organizations whose members work in a specific sector of the economy, operating across individual companies. The sectoral unions bring together employees and other workers from various positions and professions within the sector to collectively improve working conditions in their respective workplaces.

The ICT sector refers to Information and Communication Technologies, which includes IT and user support. In practice, this includes anyone from testers, programmers, to workers in call centers and back offices.

Why a sectoral union?

The ICT sector is very dynamic, and we regularly see various forms of cooperation (employment, freelancing, contracting, and others). At the same time, there is a significant mobility of workers between companies in our sector.

For these reasons, it makes sense to have a sectoral trade union organization and not have to change unions with every change of employer.

Why is there a need for a union in our sector?

Because it is necessary to improve working conditions throughout the whole sector and we want to be a part of this change. Our sector is new, rapidly growing, versatile, and uses non-standard types of cooperation, thus benefiting from outsourcing and cheap labor. The high mobility in the sector does not only concern Czech workers, we also have a large influx of workers from abroad. These workers are easier to exploit due to language barriers, differences in corporate culture, and labor law.

What are the goals of the union?

We want to connect all workers in our sector and create a community that advocates for our economic, professional, social, and physical rights, improves working conditions, and fights against any form of oppression in the workplace.

We also strive to collaborate with other organizations in the pursuit of social change (for example, working with organizations that advocate for climate justice).

To be a part of labor structures, we have joined the Union of Banking and Insurance Workers - OSPPP.

Why should I be a union member?

We create a safe and inclusive space for networking and sharing experience.
We operate bilingually in Czech and English.
We provide access to consultations with a labor lawyer.
We communicate and cooperate through online and offline meetings and events.
We provide access to trainings, webinars and workshops about different work-related topics organized by our sectoral union and the union federation to which we belong.
We provide opportunity to participate in, learn to organize, and better understand collective actions or support establishment of union organization in your workplace.
We have the chance to be part of a broader Czech (OSPPP) and international (UNI Global Union) labor movement in general.

How much time should I dedicate to the union?

Unions are only as strong as the number of their members, especially those who are active.

We are a young organization with many ideas on how to improve our sector, and we would like as many members as possible to participate in decision-making and event planning.

Of course, it’s perfectly okay to just attend our regular monthly online meetings or even be a passive member.

Am I obliged to inform my employer that I am a union member?

No, you are not obliged to inform your employer that you are a union member. Your employer does not have the right to fire you for being a union member or even ask you whether you are a union member.

How do I become a member?

Fill out the online application form on our website. Once you submit your application, one of our current members will reach out to you to answer any questions you may have and provide any missing information. Your application will be reviewed and approved in 2 to 4 weeks. You’ll be notified once your application is accepted and you will start receiving information about union meetings and activities, as well as information about union dues. The standard union due is 1 % of the netto salary up to a maximum of 300 CZK per month. For students, retirees, unemployed and those on parental leave, the fee is reduced to 25 CZK per month.

Why should I pay union dues and where does this money go?

The union dues are what makes the union independent and sustainable. We use the union dues to fund things such as leaflets for collective actions or organizing union events aimed at raising awareness, recruiting new members, and creating change. We make all the decisions about the the allocation of these funds collectively.

Our elected treasurer is responsible for collecting union dues. An auditor reviews the treasurer’s actions annualy and provides a report on our income and spending. There is full transparency when it comes to spending. Additionally, the board meetings, where updates on the union fund are shared, are open to any member who wants to listen to or participate in the discussions.

Some personal data are required in the application form. Does anyone outside the organization has access to this information?

No. Only a few selected union members have access to this data and we handle this data with the utmost caution. We do not pass membership information onto any other organization.

Application form requires my phone number. Why?

Our trade union uses Signal as a main communication platform. This application uses phone numbers to connect people. You can use anonymous SIM card if you don’t want to use your personal phone number. Every message on Signal is end-to-end encrypted.

What is the ICT sector and what companies does it include?

The ICT sector combines manufacturing and service industries. ICT companies provide services regarding communication and information processing. Typical companies in ICT sector provide, for example, IT services (hardware support, software support, network management, comunication, cloud services, security, etc…), outsourcing services, telecomunication services, customer support etc. If you work in any of these companies, you are welcome to join our trade union!

What professions are represented by the union?

Our understanding of the sector is very broad and inclusive. Anyone who works with information system, on their development or on any position in a company providing services in this sector is, in our opinion, considered a worker in the ICT sector. Nonetheless, let us list a few job titles which, without a doubt, are considered a part of the sector:

programmers
testers
designers
computer service technicians
tech support specialists
data analysts
network administrators
database analysts
web developers
system analysts
IT consultants
software analysts
data center technicians
system administrators
business analysts
network engineers
database administrators
system engineers
hardware engineers
frontend developers
cybersecurity specialists
data scientists
AI developers
game designers
risk analysts
quality specialists
UX designers
call center operators
help desk technicians
cloud engineers
devops specialists
freelancers
interns
students

Frequently Asked Questions