Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

A group of Google workers have announced plans to unionize

theverge.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 1001 posts

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

#31

Post by apexalpha »

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 the Netherlands dairy farmers formed their own cooperative so sell dairy products to prevent 3rd party 'big dairy' corporations from playing them against each other on price and quality.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FrieslandCampina

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

#32

Post by akhilcacharya »

istjohn wrote: post #14
captainmuon wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't know about the US, but 1% is the standard in Germany. (Unions here work a bit different, they are not per-company but nationwide and you get a couple of benefits like legal insurance etc.)

US unions are not typically per-company either.

But in the US they bargain on the enterprise level, not by sector. I think that was the implication in the comment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sectoral_collective_bargaining...

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

#33

Post by q3k »

psaintlaurent wrote: post #19
howlgarnish wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean this in the kindest possible way: have you consulted a psychiatrist? Feeling like you are being persecuted by shadowy, all-powerful enemies is a common symptom of schizophrenia.

No psychiatrist necessary (PROOF): https://twitter.com/psaintlaurent0/status/132951417338719028... https://twitter.com/psaintlaurent0/status/134244904875058380... https://twitter.com/psaintlaurent0/status/132883496079975628... https://twitter.com/psaintlaurent0/status/131211998307427942... https://twitter.com/psaintlaurent0/status/125889480453833932...

Either way, you have been through a lot - you should probably see a psychiatrist regardless.

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

#34

Post by gcr »

avolcano wrote: post #6

Wapo has more details about the structure of the union, which is apparently nontraditional and won't go through NLRB ratification: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/01/04/google-... However, while that article says they will not be able to be a collective bargaining unit under US law with that structure, the announcement oped in the NY Times ( https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/04/opinion/google-union.html…

You don't necessarily need an NLRB contract to get wins for employees, though the legal protection certainly helps.

I understand AWU is currently following the CWA "Solidarity Union" model: not currently seeking recognition but may choose to do so in the future.

(Disclosure: I am a member of AWU)

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

#35

Post by WitCanStain »

klaudius wrote: post #30

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.

The point of unions is that individual workers can be easily screwed over with no repercussions for the company because of the power differential between companies and their workers. Unions seek to level the field a little bit by giving the workers collective bargaining power which allows them to secure better pay/benefits/influence the direction the company is going. When they work it is a very rational arrangement for the workers, so companies tend to not like them as it decreases their power over their workers.

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

#38

Post by objclxt »

When I talk to colleagues in tech about unions I hear a lot of misconceptions, seemingly based in stereotypes about what unions are for and who they serve. People often seem to think of unions as being purely blue-collar operations, and this just isn't true.

For example, I've had people tell me that they don't support unions in tech because they'll be "paid less", or less competent engineers will be promoted faster.

And it's strange, because the other major industry in California - the film industry - is heavily unionised, and you just don't see that happening there. You have vocally supportive multi-millionaire card-carrying members of the Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild, and the Directors Guild to name a few. None of these unions are limiting the work their members are carrying out.

This is because those unions are serving a very different purpose to the stereotypical union some engineers seem to fear. SAG, the DGA, and the WGA aren't guaranteeing hours or limiting pay: they're simply trying to curb abuse in what it a very abusive industry, and putting in place procedures to protect members and resolve grievances.

And they don't always get it right, and I don't pretend that Hollywood is a perfect utopia of worker relations, but I think it's pretty undeniable that the industry is a much better place with the unions around.

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

#39

Post by praptak »

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!

Yeah, a pretty big one: craft guilds.

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

#40

Post by _qulr »

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!

"Trade association" would be the more common term for business owners.
Post reply on HN