Oh sure, I don't like open offices, but that's not the same as 60 hour weeks and 24/7 oncall.

I tend to bring up open offices in unionization discussions as a very simple example of how SWEs, despite high demand and compensation, don’t nearly have as much leverage as we claim to do (lack of WFH, pre-COVID, is a more impactful variant.) Despite near universal worker complaint, it’s simply something that industry management has embraced and no amount of tweeting, blogging, or even studies (https://hbr.org/2019/11/the-truth-about-open-offices) will make a difference.

Does that mean a union should be built solely to put pressure to end open offices? No, but it does indicate that there are near-universal issues in the industry that such a union or professional association can address. Because without any organizing, management will just continue the status quo. There’s not even the added competition of some firms deciding to offer personal offices or at least cubicles as an alternative to woo candidates.

It’s an example of something in industry that everyone complains about but no one can successfully challenge.