Since the software programmer for the open source movement is doing this out of pure love for the act of coding (and additionally helping a non-profit organisation) you might avoid some of the aggravation of new systems implementation. For example, missing feature-sets, or convoluted new feature-sets. Close connection might be maintained between the programmers and the labour union via the Internet. In the forum of the world, you will be able to have the eyes of the millions of critics whom will look at the source code and find (and more oft than not fix) bugs before the software is implemented. The Open Source Software motto: ``Given enough eyes, all bugs are shallow.''
Free software will also allow free software upgrades, and downloads. No more headaches from having to upgrade your office suite (spending the so-called reduced prices of ``upgrades'', which mean that you spend $300 USD versus $600 USD for Microsoft Office 2000.) Furthermore, you can ``reduce, reuse and recycle'' old hardware. Having rank-filers forming close ties with co-workers in the IT departments of their companies, will allow for the older computers that corporations throw out (because it's too slow to run buggy, bloated, resource intensive commercial software like Windows 2000) to be donated to their local unions. Operating systems like Linux and Free-BSD, or Open-BSD usually run very quickly and efficiently on even a 486, or Pentium 75 with as little as 8 MB of RAM. The standard to run the average computer workstation running Windows NT, Windows 98, or Windows 2000 is a Pentium - 200 with at least 64 MB of RAM.
Additionally, Linux is not your old style cryptic UNIX system anymore. In fact, daily, more and more programs are being released that help to deal with the casual user. In effect, attempting to combine the best of both worlds: ease of use and stability! Linux distributors package the operating system with other pieces of software to make living in Linux-World easier. These combined software packages are called distributions. The two major Linux distributors, SuSE Linux and Red Hat Linux, make Linux installing so easy, that all you have to do is pop in the first CD, and boot your computer. It immediately goes into a graphical user interface, and you quickly forget that you are using a product that was developed for the users, by the users!
Support can also be done by other cyber unions over the Internet! In effect, if one labour union has a tech-ie, he can tele-commute to his neighbouring cyber union's computer and fix whatever problems they might have with it. This is very difficult to be done under other operating systems, because most of the key functions of the computer can all be accessed via the command-line, or remote administration programs!
Rank-filers and the administration would be able to listen and view upto the minute deliberations through Apple's Open Source Streaming Server called Darwin (once again, free). Free Internet telephony programs exist that allow for two way communications through the Internet, for the labour movement. Available, for free, is mailing list software, bulletin board software; you can even have a free virtual paperless office through a software product currently being developed by the software division of Northern Systems and Administration, a small Philadelphia based support group.