[Ecommerce] Support needed for .union proposal

[James Love]

This is a note from Duncan Pruett asking for public support for the
labor union proposal for .union, as a new top level Internet domain. 
CPT strongly supports this application.  There is opposition from
employer groups.  The note explains how people can register their
support in the ICANN process.    Jamie


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APPLICATION FOR A UNION MANAGED "TOP-LEVEL" INTERNET DOMAIN NEEDS YOUR
SUPPORT

(see below for details on how to give your support)

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) is
proceeding
with a proposal to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers,
(ICANN), for the setting up of a ".union" top-level domain (TLD) on the
Internet, to be managed by trade unions, for trade unions.

A dot.union TLD would give unions Internet addresses with a distinct
trade
union identity, as an alternative to existing addresses, using ".com",
or
".org", or country-based addresses such as ".uk", ".de" or ".za".  (No
union
organisations would be obliged to drop their existing web addresses, in
favour of addresses inside the ".union" TLD.  It would merely be at
their
disposal should they choose to use it.  The proposal also includes
provisions to make the TLD function in all ICFTU official languages (eg.
".union", ".syndicat", ".sindicato", ".gewerkschaft"). In the future,
the
addition of other languages is foreseen.

This initiative, if successful, will be a valuable step forward for
trade
unions.  It will allow us to manage for ourselves a section of an
Internet
which is increasingly dominated by commercial and government interests,
and
to show the public an international trade union movement engaged in
innovative use of new communications technologies.

In addition, it is proposed to make the management of the TLD
self-sustaining.  Any additional funds raised in the sale of ".union"
domain
names would be placed in a fund administered by the ICFTU to support
efforts
to promote Internet use among unions currently cut off by the "digital
divide".

The proposal is supported by the 11 International Trade Secretariats
(ITS),
which link together national unions from particular trades or industries
at
international level. The proposal was drafted in cooperation with a
group
including the ITS, as well as the AFL-CIO (USA), ACTU (Australia),
COSATU
(South Africa), RENGO (Japan), DGB (Germany), and TUC (UK).

THIS NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

On October 13th, ICANN published all applications on via its web site
(http://www.icann.org - where the full ".union" application can be
accessed)
and there will be a public comment process for two weeks, during which
time
it will be imperative that trade unions and as many members as possible
promote the TLD application and participate in any ICANN forums designed
to
gauge public opinion.

TELL ICANN THAT YOU WANT DOT.UNION!

Go to this Internet address and register...

http://www.icann.org/mbx/register.html 

...then add a message of support at this address...

http://www.icann.org/cgi-bin/mbx/rpgmessage.cgi?tldapps;39DF9D3A00000002

Unfortunately, the ICANN public comments interface is only in English.
If
you decide to post a message in a language other than English, please
include the following sentence at the top of your message: "We support
the
trade union proposal".

For further information, please contact:

Duncan Pruett
Information/IT Coordinator, ICFTU
E-mail: duncan.pruett@icftu.org

-- 
James Love  mailto:love@cptech.org http://www.cptech.org
Consumer Project on Technology, P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 20036
voice 1.202.387.8030  fax  1.202.234.5176