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Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

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Re: Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

#721

Post by jefftk »

GoblinSlayer wrote: post #696
mleonhard wrote: post #436

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did that. I had a company laptop and phone. I usually left them at the office. For extra privacy, I stopped my personal phone from connecting to the company WiFi. Then Google bought my home ISP (WebPass). Now I use a router-based VPN.

Isn't laptop enough? What the phone does?

Some things I use corporate access on my phone for:

* Receiving pages when on call

* Team chat notifications

* Meetings while walking around the neighborhood

* Filing android bug reports

* Testing unreleased software

Re: Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

#722

Post by clairity »

dodobirdlord wrote: post #667
silverpepsi wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Haven't you ever thought it odd that the document is entirely authored on one end and hence entirely nothing but a list of terms advantageous to one party? From this perspective, a single deletion is a pathic barely countable concession at best. Imagine B2B contracts were written this way...whatever company has the bigger ego authors every last word and walks away the moment a detail is questioned. You could only aff…

> entirely nothing but a list of terms advantageous to one party The obvious counterpoint is that usually a job offer involves getting paid.

the company gets value often many times the employee's compensation, so it's a value exchange. it's entirely valid to negotiate the terms of that exchange. what's not valid is tolerating, even encouraging, the highly asymmetric negotiating positions between corporation and individual.

Re: Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

#723

Post by theptip »

ma2rten wrote: post #706
theptip wrote: post #413

I'm confused, what exactly is the allegation of illegal spying? The article just says: > Google violated US labor laws by spying on workers who were organizing employee protests, then firing two of them, according to a complaint to be filed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) today. And then talks about the circumstances around the firing of those employees. > “This week the NLRB issued a complaint on my beh…

One of those people was fired for looking at someone's calendar.

So the claim is that Google looking at its access logs constitutes illegal spying? I'd like to see that claim fleshed out a bit more, I can see where this could be considered problematic to a non-technical person, but it's also common-place for most large companies (or small tech companies) to have internal tools that log employees' behavior.

Re: Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

#724

Post by youeseh »

willcipriano wrote: post #258
youeseh wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing that you've only worked at / interviewed at large firms. They're large and your prospective role there wasn't senior enough for them to afford you special treatment.

I've only worked at small to mid sized firms. Either way, Knowing what the agreement is before I agree is special treatment? I'm not asking to modify the contract, merely to see it before I give notice and upend my families life.

Anything outside of what they consider to be their norm is special treatment. There aren't enough lower level people who ask to see employment agreements ahead of time.

Re: Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

#725

Post by MaxBarraclough »

MaxBarraclough wrote: post #690

As an aside, I really dislike this pattern of deliberately misleading headline. Make it appear that you're asserting a point of fact, Google illegally spied on workers before firing them , knowing that's how the reader will read it, then modify it at the last minute to dial down your commitment to the claim, with US labor board alleges . You'd never use this structure in conversation, you'd just say it the natural wa…

Speak of the devil: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25290009

Re: Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

#726

Post by renewiltord »

lucian1900 wrote: post #684
renewiltord wrote: post #531

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Acting collectively with a guy standing with his knife poised above your back is a strategy you are welcome to. I don't think it's hard for you to see why I'm not keen on it. But there is a simple way to solve this. If your union has, as a bylaw, "It is an immutable rule of this union that it shall never act to decrease or keep constant the number of immigrants to the USA. If this union acts in that manner, it shall…

Most unions have anti-racism and anti-xenophobia in general as a central part of their organisation. Explicit rules exist in most, but many go further with resisting deportations, exposing discrimination in workplaces, solidarity strikes with workers in exploited countries, etc. I'd recommend you contact some local trade unionists, you'll find that they're overwhelmingly pro immigration and anti-racist. You'll also f…

It isn't about what it is today when life is good. It's about what it can become if life gets hard. If everyone agrees this is a good thing they'd all adopt the poison pill. After all, if the poison pill triggers, the organization is clearly acting against its principles and dissolution is better than continuation.

The fact that they won't, and instead use toothless codes that can be repealed when things change make it clear they don't believe this is an immutable part of them but is a marketing ploy.

Re: Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

#727

Post by renewiltord »

AshWolfy wrote: post #707
renewiltord wrote: post #664

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, right now all tech worker organization is crappy right now. The mob dissipates its energy in online rage about whiteboard interviews and hatred of foreigners. That kind of mob I like. Oderunt et metuunt, as one might most hope for. And they are powerless in their rage. With sufficient work they can be kept like that. Either at peace or powerlessly angry.

Maybe so, but the mob im organizing with is groups like no tech for ice which have stopped companies from contracting with ICE. Or the kickstarter union which secured good terms for workers laid off during covid

Congratulations and good luck to you.

Re: Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

#728

Post by renewiltord »

AshWolfy wrote: post #709
renewiltord wrote: post #657

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's right. These days. Could change again. But they could demonstrate immutable faith by adopting a clause like what I mention here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25284296 If they are pro immigrant it shouldn't be much of a problem.

Well you could get involved in the labor movement to make sure that doesnt happen, after all unions are democratic. Unions turning against immigration is very unlikely, even relatively conservative unions like the teamsters are on board now today being pro immigration is being pro union and being anti immigration is being anti union

What is your opinion as to the likelihood of your union adopting the poison pill that I mentioned above? Do you personally find it convincing that unions that are anti-xenophobic should have poison pills that protect against them becoming vehicles for xenophobia?

Re: Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

#729

Post by dleslie »

sudosysgen wrote: post #711
dleslie wrote: post #640

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mostly donate to NGOs and political parties directly; I get to see my dollars go directly to those who help those in need, and as a party member I get the opportunity to shake hands with legislators and talk policy with them directly. I helped get the husband of a friend elected mayor of my city. This has had a meaningful impact. I see unions having enormous utility for those living where there is effectively one e…

Unions don't have to be limited to a single employer, and their actual advantage isn't any of that, their actual advantage is that they allow you to effectively withhold your labour, which is even more effective if you are in high demand. In any case, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.

If I'm in high demand then I don't need any help finding leverage; other, potential employers are leverage enough.

Re: Google illegally spied on workers before firing them, US labor board alleges

#730

Post by no-s »

nullc wrote: post #354
thraway12 wrote: post #318

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wasn't Google party to an implicit CARTEL agreement not to compete amongst hiring tech talent? https://pando.com/2014/03/22/revealed-apple-and-googles-wage...

Yes. Adobe, Apple Inc., Google, Intel, Intuit, Pixar, Lucasfilm and eBay. Apple's involvement was particularly egregious: they threatened to destroy adobe with spurious patent litigation unless they participated. Google executives also explicitly acknowledged that there actions were illegal and directed staff to keep discussions about it out of email. The companies basically got a slap on the wrist: the settlement wa…

>>Their actions didn't just hurt their own employees, they depressed wages industry wide.

a point often overlooked. Every working person in the industry was hurt by this.

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