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Hopes for an increase in unionisation in Silicon Valley may be overblown
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THE DECLINE of labour-union membership since the late 20th century across America and Europe has been worrying for those who fret about rising inequality. So, too, has the rise of the tech giants whose huge profit margins and soaring share prices threaten to concentrate wealth in the hands of a few rich shareholders. And so the news, on January 4th, that employees at Alphabet, the parent company of Google, have formed a trade union a rarity at tech firms in Silicon Valley was greeted warmly by many inequality-watchers. But whether unionisation in Silicon Valley will catch on, or will make much of a difference if it does, is questionable.
On Wednesday, the US Capitol Building was stormed by far-right protesters, marking the first time it had been breached since the British burned Washington in 1814. On Thursday, more than 4,000 people