IBM union calls strike in Second Life

Disgruntled IBM workers are to picket the firm's presence in Second Life

Italian IBM workers have called a virtual strike in Second Life to protest at low pay.

IBM employees and their supporters will picket IBM's presence in the 3D world at some point between 25 and 30 September, according to a union website.

Staff are upset that the company has ignored requests by the works council for a small salary increase, despite making large profits.

Writing in an official IBM blog that covers virtual worlds, IBM employee Jo Grant said that the best way for the company to deal with the strike is not to overreact.

"The strict approach would be to exercise full property rights and eject or ban anyone that is not considered beneficial to supporting your business," said Grant.

"The downside of this approach is that once you start where do you stop? If someone is wearing a competitor's shirt is that worth ejecting?"

Grant added that in the case of the Italian labour union, he would treat it like a real world protest.

"I would meet with the leaders to discuss their protest, not their grievance. That is presumably being taken care of elsewhere," he said.

"If they were willing to have a non-harassing protest of a set duration I would cooperate with them in having it done."

IBM first proposed its presence in Second Life in December 2006 as a marketing and communications service.