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Engineer says Google fired her for notifying co-workers of right to organize

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Re: Engineer says Google fired her for notifying co-workers of right to organize

#21

Post by dominotw »

todd3834 wrote: post #3

> Kathryn Spiers, who worked as a security engineer, updated an internal Chrome browser extension > “We dismissed an employee who abused privileged access to modify an internal security tool,” a Google spokeswoman said in a statement, adding that it was “a serious violation.” The only times I’ve ever seen people fired quickly in Tech without a performance improvement plan or something similar is a security violation.…

one time i was fired for leaving my computer unlocked to go get some coffee. true story.

Re: Engineer says Google fired her for notifying co-workers of right to organize

#22

Post by iwantagrinder »

kawfey wrote: post #18

Bad headline. It should read "Engineer fired her for abusing privileged access to modify an internal security tool." That's a pretty dumb way to notify co-workers of their right to organize, but I guess it's a really good way to get fired and draw up a big media stink about it.

Did you not read the part where she did, where she followed the process by the book and it was approved? Or did you just have your mind made up to decide to side with Google instead?

Re: Engineer says Google fired her for notifying co-workers of right to organize

#23

Post by Touche »

cj wrote: post #5

> Kathryn Spiers, who worked as a security engineer, updated an internal Chrome browser extension so that each time Google employees visited the website of IRI Consultants — the Troy, Michigan, firm that Google hired this year amid a groundswell of labor activism at the company — they would see a pop-up message that read: “Googlers have the right to participate in protected concerted activities.” So basically, the Go…

It's still worth discussing if their reaction warranted the offense. Would they have fired her had she added a pop-up on Earth Day encouraging employees to recycle? Or would she have received a slap on the wrist for that. In other words, how much of what she was advocating was part of the decision to fire?

Re: Engineer says Google fired her for notifying co-workers of right to organize

#24

Post by ocdtrekkie »

cj wrote: post #5

> Kathryn Spiers, who worked as a security engineer, updated an internal Chrome browser extension so that each time Google employees visited the website of IRI Consultants — the Troy, Michigan, firm that Google hired this year amid a groundswell of labor activism at the company — they would see a pop-up message that read: “Googlers have the right to participate in protected concerted activities.” So basically, the Go…

This is a mischaracterization, if you read what the extension is used for: Showing popups when people visit certain sites. For example, popping up a notice to remind users not to upload Google data to Dropbox when they visit Dropbox.

So no, she wouldn't have "added arbitrary JavaScript". She would've added an additional message and triggering website to an existing script.

Re: Engineer says Google fired her for notifying co-workers of right to organize

#25

Post by iwantagrinder »

Touche wrote: post #13

The article is confusing. She says she was fired for doing one thing. Google says she did something else (modified Chromium without permission). Does she deny their claims, or is her statement just spin? Given just her quotes you would think that she was fired for literally telling coworkers that they have a right to organize.

Did you not read the part where she did, where she followed the process by the book and it was approved? Or did you just have your mind made up to decide to side with Google instead?

Re: Engineer says Google fired her for notifying co-workers of right to organize

#26

Post by Miner49er »

I'm not a lawyer, but on the surface this seems clearly illegal on Google's part based on the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Does anyone know of any similar cases to this?

EDIT: Found one in Purple Communications. It was ruled workers can use work email to organize. https://www.littler.com/nlrb-creates-right-use-corporate-e-m...

Re: Engineer says Google fired her for notifying co-workers of right to organize

#27

Post by Maxion »

iwantagrinder wrote: post #19
kache_ wrote: post #7

>Kathryn Spiers, who worked as a security engineer, updated an internal Chrome browser extension so that each time Google employees visited the website of IRI Consultants — the Troy, Michigan, firm that Google hired this year amid a groundswell of labor activism at the company — they would see a pop-up message that read: “Googlers have the right to participate in protected concerted activities.” You should get fired…

Did you not read the part where she did, where she followed the process by the book and it was approved? Or did you just have your mind made up to decide to side with Google instead?

I'm honestly a little surprised (and worried) about all the commenters who argue Google is in the right here.

Re: Engineer says Google fired her for notifying co-workers of right to organize

#28

Post by skywhopper »

cj wrote: post #5

> Kathryn Spiers, who worked as a security engineer, updated an internal Chrome browser extension so that each time Google employees visited the website of IRI Consultants — the Troy, Michigan, firm that Google hired this year amid a groundswell of labor activism at the company — they would see a pop-up message that read: “Googlers have the right to participate in protected concerted activities.” So basically, the Go…

Sure, but the question is, would they react this way if the injected content was something else?

Re: Engineer says Google fired her for notifying co-workers of right to organize

#29

Post by mytailorisrich »

Maxion wrote: post #16
cj wrote: post #5

> Kathryn Spiers, who worked as a security engineer, updated an internal Chrome browser extension so that each time Google employees visited the website of IRI Consultants — the Troy, Michigan, firm that Google hired this year amid a groundswell of labor activism at the company — they would see a pop-up message that read: “Googlers have the right to participate in protected concerted activities.” So basically, the Go…

If you further read the article, she went through the standard approval process for changes. She did it by the book. That's hardly "injecting code".

> Spiers, 21, said she went through the standard approval process, which requires two co-workers to greenlight changes, before updating the Chrome browser extension

That sounds like code review approvals, not actual project/management approval of the 'feature'.

We have the same: Cannot commit any code change unless 2 other team members have reviewed it. That has nothing to do with having actual project/management approval for the change.

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