[Random-bits] British Trade Unions: Corporate lobbying stopped .union internet domain

[James Love]

Subject: Corporate lobbying stopped .union internet domain
   Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 15:30:49 +0000
  From: Chris Bailey <chrisbailey@gn.apc.org>
    To: csif-l@jca.apc.org, ncdnhc-discuss@lyris.isoc.org


Press statement by British Trade Union Congress

Corporate lobbying stopped .union internet domain

The refusal to grant a new .union top level domain to the internet, to
join domains such as .com, is not only deeply disappointing but suggests
that corporate America now runs the internet, says the TUC today.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) meeting
in Los Angeles yesterday granted applications for seven new top level
domains including .biz and .museum, but turned down an application from
the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, backed by the TUC,
for a union domain.

The ICANN staff had recommended support for the .union domain and the
proposal had also won the support of the non-commercial internet users
meeting in advance of the ICANN. However US employers and intellectual
property lawyer groups had opposed the proposal.

Nigel Stanley, Head of Campaigns and Communications at the TUC said,
"This is a deeply disappointing decision. Given the support of the
technical experts and other non-commercial users, it is hard to conclude
anything other than this is simple anti-union prejudice stoked up by
corporate interests in the US. Dissatisfaction with internet governance
can only now grow. However this will not stop unions using the net to
promote our message."

Notes to Editors:

All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

A series of TUC rights leaflets are available on the know your rights
line 0870 600 4 882. Lines are open every day from 8am-10pm. Calls are
charged at the national rate.

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Nigel Stanley on 020 7467 1244 or 076 99 755102 (pager)