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A group of Google workers have announced plans to unionize

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Re: A group of Google workers have announced plans to unionize

#21

Post by MachineBurning »

mensetmanusman wrote: post #16
amelius wrote: post #13

Perhaps App store publishers can unionize too. For example, instead of having small companies publishing apps themselves, they can have an organization do it for them, so it's big organization versus BigCorp, instead of little guy versus BigCorp. Also, it could provide some more transparency of the App Store sales.

Is there precedent for a group of unrelated individuals who happen to be in the same industry ‘unionizing’ ? Edit: answer of course is guilds, thanks commenters :) The word union threw me off. One could totally imagine an ‘app developers guild’ to help defend against the big guys. Go start one!

Guilds?

Re: A group of Google workers have announced plans to unionize

#22

Post by koonsolo »

amelius wrote: post #13

Perhaps App store publishers can unionize too. For example, instead of having small companies publishing apps themselves, they can have an organization do it for them, so it's big organization versus BigCorp, instead of little guy versus BigCorp. Also, it could provide some more transparency of the App Store sales.

As long as it doesn't turn out to be Animal Farm.

Re: A group of Google workers have announced plans to unionize

#24

Post by wasmitnetzen »

mensetmanusman wrote: post #16
amelius wrote: post #13

Perhaps App store publishers can unionize too. For example, instead of having small companies publishing apps themselves, they can have an organization do it for them, so it's big organization versus BigCorp, instead of little guy versus BigCorp. Also, it could provide some more transparency of the App Store sales.

Is there precedent for a group of unrelated individuals who happen to be in the same industry ‘unionizing’ ? Edit: answer of course is guilds, thanks commenters :) The word union threw me off. One could totally imagine an ‘app developers guild’ to help defend against the big guys. Go start one!

In Germany, there are "Genossenschaften"[1], which are cooperatives organized by small members to further a common commercial interest. For example, winemakers, which are often family businesses (at least in the area I'm from), often form them to sell wine, to have better leverage against the buyers, which are usually big companies like Aldi.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eingetragene_Genossenschaft

Re: A group of Google workers have announced plans to unionize

#25

Post by orange_tee »

mensetmanusman wrote: post #16
amelius wrote: post #13

Perhaps App store publishers can unionize too. For example, instead of having small companies publishing apps themselves, they can have an organization do it for them, so it's big organization versus BigCorp, instead of little guy versus BigCorp. Also, it could provide some more transparency of the App Store sales.

Is there precedent for a group of unrelated individuals who happen to be in the same industry ‘unionizing’ ? Edit: answer of course is guilds, thanks commenters :) The word union threw me off. One could totally imagine an ‘app developers guild’ to help defend against the big guys. Go start one!

Yes. Cooperatives. Farmer cooperatives are quite common for example. Basically, freelancers who have to negotiate with the same small number of other entities can form a cooperative to both handle the admin and also allow them to negotiate as one.

Re: A group of Google workers have announced plans to unionize

#26

Post by beberlei »

amelius wrote: post #13

Perhaps App store publishers can unionize too. For example, instead of having small companies publishing apps themselves, they can have an organization do it for them, so it's big organization versus BigCorp, instead of little guy versus BigCorp. Also, it could provide some more transparency of the App Store sales.

And this organization and big corp then take a combined 30% of all revenue.

Re: A group of Google workers have announced plans to unionize

#28

Post by apexalpha »

Good for them. I work for a large company and am a member of the union. While they're not perfect they're very constructive and provide a lot of benefits to all employees, and also to the company itself.

Compensation has become very complex over the years. While most people understand their pay the rest is usually where employers cheap out, things like insurance, sick pay, long-term provider care, pension contribution, tend to be worse for my friends who also work in IT but in non-unionized workforce.

I understand that in the US unions are often seen as a burden, rather than a constructive partner, so I hope this one will help to improve the image of all unions as well as improve live of Googlers.

Re: A group of Google workers have announced plans to unionize

#29

Post by objclxt »

cft wrote: post #15

This could be the beginning of tech stock market crash. If that effort succeeds that is

Why? Many successful companies are fully unionised. How many people creating content at Disney do you think are card carrying members of a union (the answer: nearly all of them).

Re: A group of Google workers have announced plans to unionize

#30

Post by klaudius »

I don't understand unions. If they don't like certain behaviors that are legal like selling to government or paying high salaries, why are they working there in the first place? Just quit. Different people like different things, so go work somewhere that suits you.
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