Workers Leaving the Googleplex • Hacker News Board

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#141

Post by brown9-2 » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:22 PM UTC

worldvoyageur wrote: post #132

Minor point of clarification, as the tone of many comments seems to presume that google fired the author of this blog. This could be, but seems unlikely based on the blog. The author was not employed by Google, but by a contracting firm hired by Google. The author's actions spooked the owner of the contracting firm, who did not want to risk his relationship and business with Google. The author even reports his direct…

From the article: Marco then interjected into Burt’s official explanation to say that Google was actually putting pressure on Transvideo to fire me because of my investigations of the 3.1459~ building and the people who work there.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#142

Post by bennysaurus » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:22 PM UTC

illumen wrote: post #105

pstack wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As dangrossman points out, above, you can be fired for any reason whatsoever, on the spot. I believe the only protections are sex, race, gender, religion, and age. And as for sex, that means you can't be fired for being a male or a female. It has nothing to do with sexual orientation, for which you can still be fired in something like two or three dozen states. (Look into the ENDA which has been repeatedly proposed f…

This person was fired for pointing out systematic racism at google. If it is true that they have a separate building where the 'people of color' work segregated from the others, that is pretty outrageous. It really does say something about the corporate culture there. I hope it is investigated more closely by other parties, and that Google can make it better If there is something like this happening.

First up segregation is not the issue here but this guy's choice of words. The real problem here is if Google responds to any of his comments, on paper it really does look like there's a class issue and then the company can potentially find themselves in hot water. I would shut right up in that situation as well.

The way he keeps saying 'people of colour' and talking about different classes doesn't lend to his cause either, nor going right out with a video camera as it really does look like he is filming an expose. If he was smart, he should have replied he was simply curious as to what these guys do and why the rules are different for this particular group. To elaborate any further than that, well, he dug his own pit there.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#143

Post by brown9-2 » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:24 PM UTC

geoffw8 wrote: post #56

Am I the only guy who thinks the guy (Andrew?) was way out of line here. You put yourself in the firing line for absolutely no reason relevant to you.

It's not up to us to decide what is relevant or not to this guy as far as a reason to get fired or to look into something.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#144

Post by EToS » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:24 PM UTC

Security in large corporations are often very tight fisted.. If you forget your access card where i work, even if the security personnel know you, they have to walk you up to your desk like a lost child! until some manager 'claims' you

In this particular case i feel for this guy, but all security are going to see is a temp contractor who's making videos of google employees, and asking strange questions to interview them.. Their probably thinking either an undercover journalist (very likely at a company like google) or somebody who's just acting weird and would need future monitoring.. neither of which are really desirable!

not to mention during lunch breaks any normal employee would have one thing on their mind.. stuffing their face!

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#145

Post by illumen » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:25 PM UTC

worldvoyageur wrote: post #132

Minor point of clarification, as the tone of many comments seems to presume that google fired the author of this blog. This could be, but seems unlikely based on the blog. The author was not employed by Google, but by a contracting firm hired by Google. The author's actions spooked the owner of the contracting firm, who did not want to risk his relationship and business with Google. The author even reports his direct…

c) fix the issue.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#146

Post by travisp » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:26 PM UTC

dangrossman wrote: post #89

tkahn6 wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> he was fired for using Google video equipment during working hours. Even though he'd been given explicit permission to do so. Yes they used that as a reason to fire him but that's not why they fired him.

@gradstudent Most employment in the US is at-will; either party can terminate at any time without reason.

It may be technically at-will, but anyone can tell you that you have to be very careful when firing an employee.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#147

Post by leon_ » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:32 PM UTC

systems wrote: post #84

Hey, first I am from Egypt. Second, I have to admit, I am kind of struct by most of the comments here. Most of the comment are pro google and think andrew here got it for himself. I believe this have to do a lot with cultural differences here. Most people in Egypt, would stand with the employee against the corporation. Most egyptians would definitely be pro andrew. I believe the reason here is that most Egyptians are…

Germany here. I'm with you on this one. But you must understand that HN is full of to-be-millionaires who are pursuing the american dream. Morality has no place in their lives.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#148

Post by leon_ » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:36 PM UTC

latch wrote: post #22

The divide between people from different backgrounds was really obvious to me once I moved to Asia. There's an extreme class system at play. There are certainly places with this is exploited, but this isn't always the case. Often times they are just paid less, have less benefits, and work harder (at least, physically)...but they are still free, treated well, and seem generally happy. From the description given, there…

> There is a need for mundane labor, requiring little education/creativity.

Well actually there has not been any real need for that for years now. With automation we could replace all those "dull" work places.

But the problem is: What do we do with the now unemployed masses? If we want to keep our capitalistic system that is.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#149

Post by patrickgzill » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:50 PM UTC

Aren't a lot of Microsoft'ies also contractors? If you are a contractor and rock the boat, you get fired; that is pretty much the way it is.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#150

Post by Aloisius » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:51 PM UTC

I wonder why it is confidential. The only reason I can come up with is they don't want any more copyright infringement lawsuits and they're scanning Disney books...