"The refusal to grant a new .union top level domain to the internet, to join domains such as .com, is not only deeply disappointing but suggests that corporate America now runs the internet", said the TUC last week.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) meeting in Los Angeles granted applications for seven new top level domains including .biz and .museum, but turned down an application from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, backed by the TUC, for a .union domain.

The ICANN staff had recommended support for the .union domain and the proposal had also won the support of the non-commercial internet users meeting in advance of the ICANN. However US employers and intellectual property lawyer groups had opposed the proposal.

Nigel Stanley, Head of Campaigns and Communications at the TUC said, "This is a deeply disappointing decision. Given the support of the technical experts and other non-commercial users, it is hard to conclude anything other than this is simple anti-union prejudice stoked up by corporate interests in the US. Dissatisfaction with internet governance can only now grow. However this will not stop unions using the net to promote our message."

See the article International Call for Dot.Union