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Google fires employee who protested Israel tech event, shuts forum

cnbc.com

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Re: Google fires employee who protested Israel tech event, shuts forum

#31

Post by pixl97 »

mise_en_place wrote: post #22

My old manager put it best: No politics and religion in the workplace. Seriously, it's as simple as that. We are here to work, not philosophize about politics and current events.

This doesn't exactly work when companies themselves make political stances. When companies grow larger than nationstates they are inherently political.

Re: Google fires employee who protested Israel tech event, shuts forum

#32

Post by minimaxir »

hayst4ck wrote: post #21
siva7 wrote: post #2

> Google fired an employee who disrupted an Israel executive’s conference keynote this week, CNBC has learned. Rightfully so. Name me the big tech company who wouldn't fire such an employee instantly.

This is why we need tech unions. We should be able to take an ethical stance without getting fired.

They weren't fired for taking a stance, they were fired for how they took the stance.

Re: Google fires employee who protested Israel tech event, shuts forum

#33

Post by godelski »

Wouldn't this be expected? He announced himself as a Google employee and this "represented." I do think it is dumb we act as if some random employee acts as a representative for their company, but here we are with all our social media taglines "my views are that of my own and not of my sugar daddy." I'll totally stand by these peoples' rights to make such protests. You gotta ruffle some feathers for what you believe in. But ruffling feathers has consequences. (This is regardless of my views on the situation, which is that there are no good/righteous sides in a war).

Works at Google and says he *refuses to build technology that enables surveillance*!? Who do you think you've been working for?

Re: Google fires employee who protested Israel tech event, shuts forum

#34

Post by duxup »

I'm all for some good old civil disobedience as far as every day choices go in the outside world.

However, I also think if you're employed somewhere there are reasonable expectations as far as workplace behavior goes that would prohibit the same "protest" or "civil disobedience" type behavior.

It is interesting that the protestor immediately declares that they don't wan to work for such a company. It sorta begs the question of "Then why do you?". It seems like their choice is obvious.

Re: Google fires employee who protested Israel tech event, shuts forum

#35

Post by jeffbee »

c0mbonat0r wrote: post #24
bluefishinit wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would a big tech company be hosting an event with a state committing genocide? That (and working with said regime) is the problem, not people protesting. It's not possible to be a consumer brand and support Israel. The world is too divided and it's not getting any less so.

[flagged]

Both side in that war are behaving badly and nobody should take either side. I look forward to the day when allying with any theocracy is recognized as an ethical mistake.

Re: Google fires employee who protested Israel tech event, shuts forum

#36

Post by rvz »

This just shows that employees have 0 power and companies like Google are more than ready to fire you if you get in their way.

Businesses that live and breathe billions do not care and any attempt to cave into employee demands, then the investors will move in and force it through their changes. (Especially public companies)

Re: Google fires employee who protested Israel tech event, shuts forum

#37

Post by mden »

mise_en_place wrote: post #22

My old manager put it best: No politics and religion in the workplace. Seriously, it's as simple as that. We are here to work, not philosophize about politics and current events.

A lot of work can be inherently political. If your company pivots into mass surveillance is it unreasonable to speak up if it's against your ethics framework?

Re: Google fires employee who protested Israel tech event, shuts forum

#38

Post by dekhn »

hayst4ck wrote: post #21
siva7 wrote: post #2

> Google fired an employee who disrupted an Israel executive’s conference keynote this week, CNBC has learned. Rightfully so. Name me the big tech company who wouldn't fire such an employee instantly.

This is why we need tech unions. We should be able to take an ethical stance without getting fired.

tech unions are unlikely to support random employees disrupting company events like this. they would instead provide an internal system for routing complaints in a consistent way.

Re: Google fires employee who protested Israel tech event, shuts forum

#40

Post by scarmig »

hayst4ck wrote: post #21
siva7 wrote: post #2

> Google fired an employee who disrupted an Israel executive’s conference keynote this week, CNBC has learned. Rightfully so. Name me the big tech company who wouldn't fire such an employee instantly.

This is why we need tech unions. We should be able to take an ethical stance without getting fired.

Of course, one person's ethical stance is another person's inane diversion. Imagine someone started disrupting a PR event by calling Biden a pedophile or whatever the outrage du jour is. Do they deserve protections?
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