The term originated in a 1978 book by Staughton Lynd who described a model of organizing promoted in the early 20th century by the Industrial Workers of the World which eschews the formality and bureaucracy of government-recognized unions, which Lynd and co-author Daniel Gross refer to as "business unions."
In a 1978 book, Staughton Lynd introduced a term that originated in a model of organization from the early 20th century promoted by the Industrial Workers of the World. This model differs from government-recognized unions, which are marked by formality and bureaucracy.