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Google’s fires four organizers after hiring union-busting firm

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Re: Google’s fires four organizers after hiring union-busting firm

#11

Post by EnderMB »

me_me_me wrote: post #6
sunstone wrote: post #2

So Google really has hit the nadir of the wall that Microsoft hit when Gates testified before the Justice department. It's a tough day for all of us Google fan boys but it's time to look in the mirror and carefully consider the current reality.

What always baffles me is the term fanboy, how in this day and age do we still have people believing/having faith in a company. They all did something abhorrent or yet to be caught doing it. And yet we have people who would seemingly jump into fire for a brand (even in face of damning facts). Is this a form of ancient tribalism still at play?

This kind of stuff is everywhere. It's very common with celebrities (Chris Brown being a shining example), and you see it a lot on HN with companies that are raising the bar of expectation, like Tesla.

The key similarities between the two fan bases are that they all want to be a part of something with other people, whether it's being a female fan that follows an artist with a history of abuse against women, or being a fan of a company that offers cheap perks in favour of treating employees like humans with basic needs outside of a ping pong table.

The other similarity, and it's a very cynical one that you may or may not agree with, is that many people simply don't care if it doesn't affect them - which is funny in the age of the "cancel culture".

Re: Google’s fires four organizers after hiring union-busting firm

#12

Post by rocqua »

What has made google look at the facts and think this is the right way to proceed? Do they think this won't blow up? Do they fear unions so much that this is worth the bad PR?

Or is this just a corporate process that no-one took a big picture view on? Because from where I am standing, this just seems like a dumb move.

Re: Google’s fires four organizers after hiring union-busting firm

#14

Post by PunchTornado »

> One of the workers set up notifications to receive emails detailing the work and whereabouts of other employees without their knowledge or consent.

This is shady/creepy. There is no need to know when and where a colleague is every hour, every day. You shouldn’t be allowed to do this.

I’m glad an employee who does this is getting fired because I wouldn’t feel safe around them.

My calendar is public, but that doesn’t mean you should be alerted every time I go somewhere.

Re: Google’s fires four organizers after hiring union-busting firm

#15

Post by Ensorceled »

me_me_me wrote: post #6
sunstone wrote: post #2

So Google really has hit the nadir of the wall that Microsoft hit when Gates testified before the Justice department. It's a tough day for all of us Google fan boys but it's time to look in the mirror and carefully consider the current reality.

What always baffles me is the term fanboy, how in this day and age do we still have people believing/having faith in a company. They all did something abhorrent or yet to be caught doing it. And yet we have people who would seemingly jump into fire for a brand (even in face of damning facts). Is this a form of ancient tribalism still at play?

Not sure why you are getting downvotes but, yes, it's tribalism. If you self identify as an "iPhone guy" or "Android gal" and invest a significant amount of money and energy into that decision, it's hard not to "tribe up" and feel obligated to defend the company you have identified with.

Re: Google’s fires four organizers after hiring union-busting firm

#16

Post by otalp »

rocqua wrote: post #12

What has made google look at the facts and think this is the right way to proceed? Do they think this won't blow up? Do they fear unions so much that this is worth the bad PR? Or is this just a corporate process that no-one took a big picture view on? Because from where I am standing, this just seems like a dumb move.

People will forget about this in a few weeks

Re: Google’s fires four organizers after hiring union-busting firm

#17

Post by thundergolfer »

m4r35n357 wrote: post #7

[flagged]

Is the SA acronym that commonly known? I had to search it, and for those also not in the know it's the Sturmabteilung, more commonly known as Storm Troopers.

Also I'm pro-union and not averse to laying out links between fascism and corporate capitalism, but I think you'd need to add a bit more argument here beyond 'the Nazis also did this so it's definitely bad'.

Re: Google’s fires four organizers after hiring union-busting firm

#18

Post by Ensorceled »

sjdycucudn3 wrote: post #13

So google expects employees to behave like professionals?

I don't think unionizing is "unprofessional". Also, until recently, Google encouraged people to "bring their whole selves to work", so Google kind of changed the rules.

Re: Google’s fires four organizers after hiring union-busting firm

#20

Post by kmlx »

me_me_me wrote: post #6
sunstone wrote: post #2

So Google really has hit the nadir of the wall that Microsoft hit when Gates testified before the Justice department. It's a tough day for all of us Google fan boys but it's time to look in the mirror and carefully consider the current reality.

What always baffles me is the term fanboy, how in this day and age do we still have people believing/having faith in a company. They all did something abhorrent or yet to be caught doing it. And yet we have people who would seemingly jump into fire for a brand (even in face of damning facts). Is this a form of ancient tribalism still at play?

people are inherently driven by feelings. rational decisions are few and far between.

if you want to objectively analyse a company all you need to do is check their 10-Q each quarter. but that means studying and analysing their actual performance and their peers' stats.

> how in this day and age do we still have people believing/having faith in a company.

the same can be said for people that still believe in politicians/governments. even thou we have all the evidence in the world that these forms of control are pretty much obsolete especially compared to our current modern way of life, you will still get millions of fanboys/girls that dismiss all the evidence.

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