In an effort to improve the working conditions and collective representation of IT workers throughout Australia, the Labor Council of NSW has launched a virtual trade union.

The new grouping is set to be baptised the Information Technology Workers Alliance (ITWA), by NSW Minister for Information Technology and Management Kim Yeadon, at the Social Change Online offices in Sydney today.

According to Labor Council secretary John Robertson, the ITWA has been established in order to provide appropriate support to IT workers and increase unionisation in the sector.

"The IT sector is one where workers have their own unique issues such as long working hours, poor health and safety and the widespread use of individual contracts," Robertson said. "The idea of the ITWA is to provide a place for IT workers to share information and ideas and receive advice on workplace issues."

A spokesperson for Minister Yeadon's office said that although the industry itself features a series of lobby groups such as the AIIA, there is a serious need for a body that specifically represented on behalf of workers.

"Because the industry has been in a boom time for so long IT workers began to feel more protected than in other industries," the spokesperson said. -Given the mass sackings we have seen in the last few months, IT workers are starting to realise that although they are highly skilled, they are vulnerable unless they can participate in collective bargaining."

The ITWA will run via a Web site aimed at providing news, information and services to programmers, network engineers and graphic designers. The site went live at 10am today, and can be found at www.itworkers-alliance.org

A Labour Council spokesperson told ZDNet Australia the site has been initially designed to provide an information hub, for IT workers rather than a specific union.

-Most IT workers are covered by a range of different unions, as many work as IT specialists within other industries," the spokesperson said. -We are launching the site as a focal point, and we will see what kind of momentum it takes on."

According to the spokesperson, the Association will initially address issues such as email privacy and access, and take on other concerns as they arise.

-Basically the Web site is designed to be a sounding board for problems IT workers are having, and any future direction of the group will be based on these people's response to the site," the spokesperson said.

Copyright © 2009 CBS Interactive, a CBS Company. All Rights Reserved.
ZDNET is a registered service mark of CBS Interactive. ZDNET Logo is a service mark of CBS Interactive.