Guild vs Union: What’s the Difference?
Why we’re called the “Indie Sellers Guild”
Editor’s Note: The Indie Sellers Guild is being formed in the US, because that’s where Etsy is based, it’s where the majority of members in our Discord poll are based, and where most of the volunteer leadership team is based. This article pertains to the differences between a union and a guild in the US and helps explain our name, “Indie Sellers Guild”: ‘guild’ is a more flexible term.
If you are interested in the difference between a union and a guild, this is how I have understood the two to work. Until recently, I had never heard of a guild. The word union makes your ears perk up where guild might bring to mind medieval times. They are different though in the function they perform.
What is a Union
The right to effectively organize and bargain is protected by law. This is under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). A union is, in general terms, an entity that bargains on behalf of its members. A union may act as the negotiator for contracts concerning working conditions, wages, and other stipulations that are in the best interests of its members. Unions are protected by federal laws. They also provide other support and programs for members. The goals are set to improve the lives of working families.
Although most people traditionally think of a union as a group of employees working for one employer, such as the recent Starbucks and Amazon unions, unions have always had a more expansive definition of “labor” than one employer’s workplace. Sometimes a distinction is drawn between “labor unions” as employees and “trade unions”, with “trade” meaning a craft or profession, such as aerospace workers or plumbers, who might have many different employers. But there are also unions — such as the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) — that organize workers more generally and not on the basis of a single craft or trade.
What is a Guild
A guild can function in the same way in regards to bargaining power and support for its members but gives control to the members and fronts the cost of such endeavors. This is done through membership fees. Guilds began in the 21st century for professional associations. They are more self-regulating and policing. A well known guild is the Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild of America. A similar organization to ours is the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild. Many organizations have similar structures of a guild but the focus is to eliminate exploitation of craft workers.
Differences and Similarities
Both guilds and unions serve similar purposes but both have different membership requirements. Trade guilds are for “craft” centered organization while unions can be industry centered. Trade unions, which are some of the more common unions, have bosses or a chain of command in a workplace. Guilds can focus on setting standards for goods created by an industry where unions set standards for how workers are treated within a workplace.
How work has evolved in the modern age has made new instances of workers being exploited. Large companies benefit off the backs of individuals in new sets of circumstances. Unfortunately, with the internet being a tool for business, it also separates workers. Unions are formed when workers band together against the common issues that arise but this takes place with meetings and other in person contact.
The Role of the Workplace vs Indie Sellers
For online or gig workers, specifically Etsy shops, there is not a co-worker relationship in a traditional sense. We function separately and the only ways to reach others is through an Etsy regulated community page. The excuse is that Etsy shops/owners are not “employed” by Etsy they are a technology company or a platform. This reduces the opportunity for Etsy sellers to have any say in how they interact the platform. Shops make Etsy money, and Etsy sets the terms. This is, in turn, cheaper for Etsy because there is no “collective.” There is not a position in place that they’re held accountable and so, leaving shop owners vulnerable. As sellers we have to blindly assume they act in our best interests.
Etsy has said they want to compete with Amazon, and Amazon treats its employees poorly as regularly reported again and again. They undercut and underpay in the same way Etsy is doing by raising fees. It’s a method that isn’t new for large corporations. The higher fees, not negotiated, means less money in a shop owner’s pocket. The guise that Etsy provides a service to the shop owner by “bringing customers” but then acting against the best interests of sellers is counterintuitive. Etsy has been providing little to no plan for the future of handmade sellers that voice their concerns. Nothing has changed or even been discussed to change. For these reasons, it’s important to organize our voices.
