Today, Explained Okay, Google: unionize!
Jan 15, 2021
Tech reporter Shirin Ghaffary sheds light on the groundbreaking unionization effort by over 200 Google employees. She discusses the rising discontent within the tech industry, driven by ethical concerns and a call for transparency. Ghaffary reveals the challenges faced by this minority union as it navigates the complex landscape of Silicon Valley's anti-union culture. The conversation highlights the aggressive tactics of companies like Google in resisting labor organization and its impact on employee rights, signaling a crucial shift in labor dynamics.
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Past Employee Activism at Google
- Google employees protested company decisions like Project Maven (military AI) and Dragonfly (censored search engine for China).
- These protests, along with alleged sexual harassment issues, fueled internal tensions and scandals.
Focus on Influence, Not Just Benefits
- Google's full-time employees, like engineers, are generally well-paid and have good benefits.
- The unionization efforts are less about traditional union issues and more about having a voice in company decisions.
Prior Unionization Efforts at Google
- In 2019, over 2,000 cafeteria workers at Google, employed by a third party, unionized.
- Smaller unionization efforts have also been made by white-collar contractors in Pittsburgh, also employed by a third party.