Workplace sabotage is commonly traced back to the Industrial Revolution –
late 1700’s and early 1800’s in Britain - when the Luddites were
responsible for destroying factory machines in order to halt the vicious development
of capitalist production methods. While the term Luddite is often associated
with the halting of progress, it is more accurate to describe this group, as
well as the tradition, as one opposed to the degrading characteristics of mass
production. While previous forms of social and productive relationships were
far from utopian, the eradication of cottage industries meant the liquidation
of a way of life for many small-scale producers, and replaced it with a centralized
and de-skilled manufacturing system.
Most often, workplace sabotage was a non-violent means of attacking destructive
technologies and their associated social relations. Today many workers continue
this tradition, but not always with the intention of un-doing a particular form
of technological or scientific innovation. Increasing dissatisfaction with large
and small corporations has lead many employees to attack the very infrastructure
of their workplaces. Sometimes this anger is vented on managers and owners by
sabotaging equipment so that physical harm comes to those in charge.
Contemporary capitalism, however, does not rest solely on material production
as immaterial forms relating to information and communications technologies
have come to dominate the corporate environment. Even companies involved in
industrial production extensively use computers to ensure the smooth running
of business. This being said, electronic attacks are a powerful means of assaulting
corporations for a plethora of reasons. Viruses, hackers, and “inside”
forms of electronic sabotage cost corporations tens of millions of dollars each
year (1). The extent of workplace sabotage is so severe that consulting firms
have emerged to confront these challenges. Unfortunately, capital is slow to
learn – or refuses to acknowledge – that the exploitation of workers
can lead to reprisals by the labouring class.
More innovative methods of sabotage have been carried out by Disney employees
(2) who inserted two frames in the Disney Movie “The Rescuers” depicting
a naked female torso. In 1993, the Barbie Liberation Organization caper, organized
by RTMark, replaced the voice boxes in 300 Barbie and G.I. Joe dolls (3). While
not all forms of workplace sabotage can be considered radical or revolutionary,
this action has shown itself capable of garnering a great deal of public and
private attention and proves to be a powerful, worker-initiated weapon to be
used against capital.
Notes:
1. RTMark http://www.rtmark.com/more/articles/latimes20010204.html
2. ibid.
3. ibid.
Monkeywrenching
Billboard Liberation Front
Electronic Disturbance Theatre
Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)
RTMark
Property Destruction
Impeding Existing Forms
“Sabotage”, by Brian Martin http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/pubs/01nvc/nvc08.html
The Buzzle http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/10-16-2001-5410.asp
InfoShop News http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=04/11/26/2561927