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Google Walkout Organizer Claire Stapleton Resigns

theguardian.com

11–20 of 165 posts

Re: Google Walkout Organizer Claire Stapleton Resigns

#11
post #3

These companies are so huge and such an integral part of society that they need to be made more accountable to the public, and forcing them to be more accountable to their workers is part of that. I think the recent proposal to require employee representation on the board of directors of $1B+ companies is a good start.

I disagree. Many of these tech companies, Google included, are indeed too big and exert outsize influence on a variety of fields, but saying they aren't "accountable" to their employees isn't entirely accurate.

As an employee in one of these companies, you have far more control over product strategy, direction, actual execution etc that i simply struggle to find in most if not all other sectors of private or public employment opportunities.

Also, as the board/shareholders/owners of these one of these companies, you wouldn't want to "Reward" behavior at the workplace that disrupts the morale of the broader employee base and lowers productivity through acts of targeted disruption such as walkouts. Lets be honest, if this individual wanted to make such points or force change, she could do so on her own time, or even on company time after building up the skills needed to reach a position of influence and use the regular channels of influence to exert change instead of what is essentially a protest of defiance against a private company that is paying for the time used to disrupt their own business.

Not to say i don't agree with your points about these tech companies essentially abusing their positions of power. . .the anti competitive legal route should be far more effective at reining them in and adding accountability compared to adding more chaos in the form of employee protests to the mix.

Re: Google Walkout Organizer Claire Stapleton Resigns

#12
post #3

These companies are so huge and such an integral part of society that they need to be made more accountable to the public, and forcing them to be more accountable to their workers is part of that. I think the recent proposal to require employee representation on the board of directors of $1B+ companies is a good start.

On Day One, the entire workforce of every company becomes "contractors". Labor does not have the leverage in most industries as it does in large tech. Even in tech it is cyclical. Younger readers here, who missed out on the 2001 and 2008 crashes, are going to have an eye-opening experience when the next recession gets here.

> On Day One, the entire workforce of every company becomes "contractors".

This is going to be increasingly difficult in Europe as they focus on “disguised employees” or “perm-tractors”. The UK has already implemented this rule (IR35) for the public sector, with the private sector set to follow suit in 2020. And the EU are beginning to consider how to clamp down on the practice.

Re: Google Walkout Organizer Claire Stapleton Resigns

#14
post #3

These companies are so huge and such an integral part of society that they need to be made more accountable to the public, and forcing them to be more accountable to their workers is part of that. I think the recent proposal to require employee representation on the board of directors of $1B+ companies is a good start.

On Day One, the entire workforce of every company becomes "contractors". Labor does not have the leverage in most industries as it does in large tech. Even in tech it is cyclical. Younger readers here, who missed out on the 2001 and 2008 crashes, are going to have an eye-opening experience when the next recession gets here.

There are laws that determine who is and who isn't a contractor. The entire workforce of every company will not be reclassified. Under the proposal, the employees will thus get board representation and thus a big piece of leverage that you correctly say they currently do not have.

On a broader note, your comment falls into one of the very annoying category of constructing a hip-shot theoretical model to explain why something won't work when it has actually already been implemented for decades in some places. YOUNGER READERS may not remember that Germany required codetermination for all companies over 2000 employees back in 1976.

Re: Google Walkout Organizer Claire Stapleton Resigns

#16
post #3

These companies are so huge and such an integral part of society that they need to be made more accountable to the public, and forcing them to be more accountable to their workers is part of that. I think the recent proposal to require employee representation on the board of directors of $1B+ companies is a good start.

Employees are a meaningful constituency of any company, as meaningful as shareholders IMHO. Totally agree with you.

Re: Google Walkout Organizer Claire Stapleton Resigns

#17
post #13

Far left activists will lose because they are fragile. You just have to deal them a setback and they give up.

The far left activists I know were openly gay in the 90's and some of the most resilient people I know. What an absurd comment

That was another generation.

Re: Google Walkout Organizer Claire Stapleton Resigns

#18
post #3

These companies are so huge and such an integral part of society that they need to be made more accountable to the public, and forcing them to be more accountable to their workers is part of that. I think the recent proposal to require employee representation on the board of directors of $1B+ companies is a good start.

Sorry if I'm out of the loop, but which proposal are you referring to, and who proposed it?

There are many, but one recent bill from Elizabeth Warren:

> Empowers workers at United States corporations to elect at least 40% of Board members: Borrowing from the successful approach in Germany and other developed economies, a United States corporation must ensure that no fewer than 40% of its directors are selected by the corporation's employees.

- https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren...

Re: Google Walkout Organizer Claire Stapleton Resigns

#19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On Day One, the entire workforce of every company becomes "contractors". Labor does not have the leverage in most industries as it does in large tech. Even in tech it is cyclical. Younger readers here, who missed out on the 2001 and 2008 crashes, are going to have an eye-opening experience when the next recession gets here.

> On Day One, the entire workforce of every company becomes "contractors". This is going to be increasingly difficult in Europe as they focus on “disguised employees” or “perm-tractors”. The UK has already implemented this rule (IR35) for the public sector, with the private sector set to follow suit in 2020. And the EU are beginning to consider how to clamp down on the practice.

It seems a lot of Americans think well the rich will just find loopholes let's just give up. I don't get it.
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