An end to the "good old days" with unions

The success of people banding together for sudden flash-mob rebellions in several Arab countries and elsewhere in 2011 has led to a new dynamic that could foretell problems for managers of companies, if it hasn't occurred already. 

Now there is conjecture that encrypted texting on smartphones and use of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and others, could lead to groups being formed spontaneously in a workplace. [link] Disgruntled employees could organize themselves over grievances even in union-free offices, and do it almost instantly. Such sudden uprisings could be much more difficult to control or predict than a union-managed situation. And, of course, unions could marshall their members into an immediate work-stoppage or other protest much more effectively than in the past.

One more issue for present and future managers to think about.