Preliminary Solution to the Collective Action Dilemma

Preconditions of the Problem:

Boss A has increased the workload of all employees in the company, but their salaries have not been raised. At this point, there are a few undercover agents planted by the boss within the employee group. No employee dares to take the lead in demanding a salary increase because if someone does, the undercover agents will immediately report them to the boss, who will then dismiss the leading employee, preventing the formation of a collective effort. The employee who takes the lead suffers the most, as they get fired; the boss benefits the most, as the workload increases without any increase in salary; other employees experience a slight loss, as their salary remains unchanged, but their workload increases.

How should the leading employee navigate the situation with traitors present, in order to at least ensure that their current interests will not be significantly harmed and to negotiate for better benefits with the boss?

Solution:

Contact an external party who is not affiliated with the company. This external person should reach out to all employees in the company and organize an anonymous vote at a single location. The first step is to determine if the majority of employees agree on the need to fight for greater benefits from the boss. If less than 50% of the employees want to push for better benefits, the effort is abandoned, and the leading employee will have incurred the cost of hiring the external person, with no change to the boss’s or the other employees’ interests. However, if the anonymous vote results in a majority agreement, all employees will reveal their identities and begin the negotiation with the boss.