Joe Jukic and Martin Jelic Debate a Computer Workers Union
Joe Jukic:
Martin, you know as well as I do that this whole industry runs on our backs. We’re the ones writing the code, debugging, patching servers at 3 a.m. And yet, somehow, the bosses think we don’t deserve a living wage. They’re shipping contracts overseas where people work for a pittance. That’s not competition, that’s exploitation.
Martin Jelic:
I get it, Joe, but the companies will always chase lower costs. It’s the logic of the market. If we push too hard for higher wages, won’t they just accelerate the offshoring?
Joe Jukic:
That’s exactly why we need a union. To set a floor. You can’t race to the bottom forever. A living wage isn’t greed—it’s survival. Housing, food, healthcare—these things cost real money here. You can’t compare my life to someone working twelve-hour shifts in another country for a fraction of the pay.
Martin Jelic:
But don’t you think global workers need solidarity too? What about their right to fair wages?
Joe Jukic:
Of course. That’s the point. We don’t lift anyone up by undercutting wages everywhere. If we unionize here, we can pressure the companies to set global standards. Pay people fairly in every country. If we don’t fight, they’ll just keep treating us—and them—as disposable.
Martin Jelic:
So you’re saying a computer workers union isn’t just about protecting your paycheck—it’s about rebalancing the whole system?
Joe Jukic:
Exactly. We built the digital world. We deserve dignity, not scraps. No more offshoring misery. A union gives us leverage to demand what our work is really worth—for us, and eventually for everyone.