Worn Out: How Retailers Surveil and Exploit Workers in the Digital Age and How Workers Are Fighting Back By MadisonVan Oort, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2023. 245 pp. $30.00. ISBN: 978‐0‐26‐254493‐1.
本书通过民族志研究，揭示了数字时代零售业如何利用技术监控和剥削边缘工人，并记录了工人通过集体行动和倡导进行反抗的斗争。
In a world where fast fashion is thriving, Madison Van Oort's ‘Worn Out’ is a timely and compelling contribution to debates around forms of surveillance in retail work and worker resistance in the digital age. An ethnography in its truest form, Van Oort goes beneath the surface of retail work and technology trends, witnessing firsthand how data and surveillance shape the lived experiences of marginalised, low-status workers in an increasingly exploitative industry. Van Oort documents the resilience and resistance of these workers as they push back and strive to reclaim their agency and improve their conditions. Through comprehensive interviews with frontline workers and labour activists, together with evidence from corporate conferences, ‘Worn Out’ exposes the exploitative dynamics of retail labour in the digital era, warning that, if left unchecked, such practices will likely intensify and exacerbate existing inequities. Against the backdrop of New York City, a global economic powerhouse and prominent hub for fast fashion, ‘Worn Out’ examines the practices within two of the city's largest fast fashion stores, aptly referred to in the book as ‘McFashion’ and ‘Style Queen’. The book scrutinises the specific technologies which underpin and expedite the exploitative practices prevalent within fast fashion retail giants. These technologies facilitate the creation of just-in-time approaches by continuously gathering data on consumer behaviour and worker performance. Automated scheduling platforms streamline employee shifts based on real-time demand, while biometric timekeeping systems track attendance and productivity through fingerprint and facial recognition. Cashier performance metrics play their part, assessing efficiency of transaction speed and item scanning accuracy at checkouts, enabling management to pinpoint problems and hold workers accountable. Together, these digital instruments amplify the vulnerability and precarity of workers already dealing with heightened instability. The integration of such systems create a work environment characterised by unpredictable hours, intrusive, omnipresent surveillance, and intensified performance measures. Through this analytical framing, the book foregrounds intersectional themes and offers a nuanced comprehension of the retail labour landscape and its attendant demographic contours. By observing the resistance of marginalised workers, notably women and individuals from racial minority groups, Van Oort explicates the multifaceted dimensions through which struggles for racial, gender, and economic parity manifest. These intersectional struggles underscore the complexity of the fight against exploitation, revealing how multiple forms of oppression intersect and influence the dynamics of retail work and worker activism. Chapter 1 begins by tracing the history of fast fashion and explores how technological advancements, just-in-time manufacturing and global supply chains have dramatically accelerated production and distribution in retail. Van Oort examines how this relentless pursuit of efficiency and cost reduction has resulted in increasingly precarious labour conditions and demanding work environments. By situating fast fashion within the broader context of the global garment industry and the history of retail labour in the United States, Van Oort offers readers an initial insight into the socioeconomic ramifications. This contextualisation allows readers to grasp the interconnectedness of fast fashion with larger economic systems and historical labour practices, highlighting how its production and distribution methods have reshaped not only consumer culture but the livelihoods of workers worldwide. Through this lens, Van Oort authoritatively sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the complexities and inequalities inherent in the fast fashion industry, inviting readers to consider the broader implications beyond mere consumption. Although not addressed in this discussion, the rise of online shopping has significantly altered consumer behaviour, driven primarily by its convenience and accessibility. E-commerce platforms that provide rapid delivery and seamless purchasing are contributing to increased societal demand for instant gratification. This, in turn, places pressure on retailers to reduce costs, thereby perpetuating a cycle which increases worker instability and reinforces systemic inequalities. Van Oort's analysis invites a critical examination into how shifts in consumer behaviour and advancements in technological frameworks are contributing to these issues. Chapter 2 explores technology's influence, revealing how employers are increasingly harnessing its capabilities to manage workers' time even beyond the confines of the workplace. While this will not come as a surprise to readers, this revelation still proves disconcerting, even in today's digital age where such practices and blurring of work-life boundaries are commonplace. Focusing specifically on workforce management platforms and scheduling algorithms, Van Oort explains how companies use software to create unpredictable and unstable work schedules, which impact workers' lives and make it increasingly difficult for them to plan and organise their personal and work commitments. Beyond the conventional hiring criterion we have come to associate with retail work, such as interpersonal skills, sales acumen and product knowledge, the chapter emphasises the increasing significance of schedule flexibility as the overriding factor in employment decisions. By subjecting job seekers to unpredictable and arduous hiring processes, retail employers are testing the limits of individuals' willingness and tolerance to adapt to shifting schedules and demands even before formal employment begins. This process, as Van Oort argues, effectively ‘weeds out’ those who are less compatible with the demands of the position, reinforcing the fast fashion industry's preference for flexibility and adaptability above all else at the expense of workers' well-being, security, and their home and family lives. The emphasis on adaptability often compels employees to prioritise work over their personal commitments without question, exacerbating stress and instability as they attempt to juggle professional and domestic responsibilities. This harsh reality is particularly acute for part-time workers, who face these pressures despite the temporary nature of their roles. In Chapter 3, Van Oort delves into the digitisation of service work within the retail sector, examining how advancements in technology have radically transformed the labour process. She discusses the transition from the traditional emphasis on emotional labour and ‘the managed heart’ (Hochschild 1983) in service interaction—where workers regulate their emotions to meet customer expectations—to the concept of ‘the automated heart’. This is reflective of the increasing extent to which automated systems like biometric time clocks and point-of-sale data are being implemented to streamline operations in retail, all the while intensifying the monitoring of worker performance and behaviour. Van Oort's observation of the spatial manifestation of shifting priorities in retail operations is significant. It suggests that there has been a tangible reconfiguration of physical space within retail stores, with the stockroom occupying a more prominent position and now often taking precedence over customer-facing areas. This shift reflects a strategic realignment focused on optimising inventory management and operational efficiency, frequently at the expense of improving the customer experience. Chapter 4 begins with Van Oort recounting her experience of attending a ‘loss prevention’ conference, where retailers are encouraged to invest in the latest surveillance technologies, such as in-store tracking systems, which have the potential to monitor workers both inside and outside the workplace. The chapter conveys some of the sobering consequences of these intrusive surveillance measures, leading to disciplinary action or dismissal in some cases. The policing of labour and dehumanising effects of these surveillance methods are given prominence in the chapter. Drawing interesting parallels between entertainment and surveillance, Van Oort highlights a broader societal shift facilitated by technologies like social media, which normalise and even encourage constant monitoring. This societal shift blurs the lines between ‘connection and coercion’, revealing how pervasive surveillance can become, with boundaries that seem almost limitless. The chapter ultimately prompts readers to rethink the ethical implications of surveillance and its profound and often detrimental effects on worker autonomy and privacy. Chapter 5 highlights the resistance strategies of retail workers against digital surveillance, and centres around two social movements, the Retail Action Project (RAP) and Black Lives Matter (BLM). The RAP addresses the negative impacts of surveillance on workers by advocating for labour rights, raising awareness and promoting policy changes. BLM intersects with these issues by underscoring how surveillance exacerbates racial and economic inequalities, shedding light on the broader systemic injustices at play. The two movements contribute to resistance efforts, with RAP concentrating on direct labour advocacy and BLM contextualising surveillance within wider issues of racial discrimination and economic exploitation. Van Oort's examination of the intersection between big data, surveillance technologies and power dynamics reveals the significant potential of critical data praxis. The chapter critiques how data practices can perpetuate existing inequalities and systemic injustices, particularly where retailers and law enforcement increasingly utilise comparable technologies for the purposes of surveillance and control, often sharing data with one another to ensnare suspected criminals. This underscores the often-hidden and sophisticated mechanisms through which power is exercised and sustained, and provides insights into the flow of data across institutional contexts and its impacts. From more subtle acts of resistance and attempts to game the system, to high-profile events and collective protest, the book has highlighted the creativity and resilience of workers as they navigate and push back against oppressive systems. Organised efforts, such as those led by RAP, involve strategic planning and coordination, collective mobilisation and comprehensive campaigns aimed at addressing and reforming the systemic issues associated with surveillance. The focus on the social movements offers some insight into the mechanics of successful organising and activism, as demonstrations and marches have generated support and shown how shared goals can galvanise individuals into action and inspire sentiments of solidarity among seemingly disparate groups. This a hopeful chapter providing a counterbalance to the bleakness and despair of previous discussions surrounding surveillance. It demonstrates that collective action and strategic alliances can lead to meaningful change, including increased worker protections, improved working conditions and a reduction in invasive practices. The chapter emphasises the power of mobilising marginalised communities to demand justice and accountability from the dominant institutions. In the concluding chapter, Van Oort reflects on the potential for change in the retail industry, emphasising the need for policy reforms to protect workers' rights and privacy in the digital age. Speculating on the future of work, and the eventual rollout of these digital technologies to other occupations, she advocates for essential policy changes and legislative action, as seen recently in California and New York City, including passing minimum wage increases and a ban on on-call scheduling, a practice which requires employees to remain available for work without guaranteed shifts. Here, Van Oort highlights the importance of worker solidarity in supporting such reforms, arguing that united efforts and contextualised approaches are likely to be more effective in cultivating a more just and equitable retail employment landscape. Ultimately, setting a precedent for other industries as digital technologies continue to evolve, rather than relying solely on technocratic solutions which tend to overlook the nuances of human experience and social dynamics. However, first, despite discussions on pay, conditions, and the enforcement of other protections, neither the final chapter nor the book addresses the crucial role of trade unions in this context. Inclusion of a discussion on trade unions could have provided additional insights into the extent of participation and how organised labour might bolster resistance efforts against technological surveillance and advocate for workers' rights. Second, it is important to acknowledge online consumption practices, where increasingly sophisticated algorithms now permit retailers to profile customers more precisely and influence their purchasing behaviour. These algorithms not only shape consumer choices but also affect labour practices behind the scenes. The consequences for workers are further restrictive features which leave them with diminished capacity or agency to resist this power. This final chapter provides a reflective and forward-looking conclusion, acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead, while also emphasising the potential for positive change. Rather than solely portraying a narrative of struggle and endless toil, the book offers hope through refreshing accounts of workers fighting back and the coping mechanisms they routinely utilise. It illustrates how workers are reclaiming space for themselves, a narrative that resonates beyond the retail sector to other industries where technological surveillance is rife and protections are limited or lacking. The vision for the future presented in the book is cautiously optimistic, advocating for continued vigilance and activism. It also recognises the difficulties of maintaining such efforts, particularly when workers are already exhausted and pushed to their limits by the exploitative system they remain tethered to. A criticism of the book is its limited scope in certain areas. For example, a comparative analysis with other industries experiencing technological surveillance and similar challenges could have further refined and enriched the discussion. Furthermore, addressing the role of trade unions might have offered a more comprehensive perspective on how organised labour could more effectively safeguard worker rights and enhance resistance efforts against these technological advances. By including such a discussion, the text would have highlighted the potential of unions to mobilise collectively and advocate for robust labour protections, thereby strengthening workers' ability to confront the complexities of these new digital advancements. Overall, Madison Van Oort's ‘Worn Out’ is a meticulously researched and passionately argued book that sheds light on the often-overlooked plight of retail workers in the digital age. Its unparalleled level of detail in accounts and observations exposes the precarious nature of retail work, identifying an urgent need for systemic and structural interventions to improve the conditions for workers in this space. Through an expert blend of theoretical analysis and personal narratives, the book achieves a balance of intellectual rigour and emotional resonance, making it essential reading for anyone interested in labour rights, digital surveillance and social justice in the modern workplace.