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Workers Leaving the Googleplex

andrewnormanwilson.com

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Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#381

Post by anatoli »

A lot of people posting about how this is a 'blog' or 'complaint' or whatever seem to be completely missing the fact that this is an artist's portfolio and an actual art piece that has been previously exhibited.

It's clearly meant to generate discussion regarding racial and human rights issues, as well as the clash of public/private space. I do not see a single hint that the artist is in any way unhappy or resentful, but IMO is rather opening up an issue for discussion. (See his CV: http://www.andrewnormanwilson.com/resume)

I'm shocked at all the angry responses.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#383

Post by jrockway »

haberman wrote: post #297
johnrob wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google profited over 8.5 billion in Q1. There's no way food could be a relevant operating cost for them.

You don't profit 8.5 billion dollars by spending money every time a self-important internet critic thinks you ought to.

Interestingly, if you say this in a "oh noes, my spam ads got pulled from Google and they won't talk to me on the phone!" thread, you get downmodded to oblivion.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#384

Post by othermaciej »

tkahn6 wrote: post #44
othermaciej wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The guy making the video implied that the security guards and janitors have "red badge" status, getting the same perks as any other contractor, but not the perks reserved only to full-time employees.

Ok? The point is that Google has tiered benefits. The outrage that guards have more benefits than other people in their building makes zero sense to me.

The fact that some employees have have lower benefits than others is not necessarily outrageous or even that unusual. The fact that Google apparently really wants to avoid having this documented is rather strange, though.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#385

Post by jrockway »

bane wrote: post #293
tessro wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow. Is this what HN is getting reduced to, that the top-ranking comment is filled with ad hominem attacks? Whether you agree or disagree with the author's motivations, at least be civil. "Nitwit", "liar", "What are you 8?" ... ugh.

You are absolutely right. This response is relevant to you as well. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2501121 Sorry for being uncivil.

Why so much backpedaling? You didn't say anything wrong. The article of the author is being an extremist baby, so you decided to be extreme in your response. Seems fair to me.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#386

Post by jrockway »

qeorge wrote: post #190

I've heard Google accused of having a "caste system" before, always because contractors aren't allowed X Google perk. They may not realize that Google walks a fine line with the IRS here. Its cheaper to pay contractors (write off the fees vs. payroll tax, for instance), so many companies use contractors like employees. This is illegal, and if the IRS decides your contractor is really an employee, they will force you…

So Google must be careful to maintain a clear distinction between employees and contractors. I suspect the badges and tiered privileges are just that.

This is not true. I have been a contractor at big companies before, and the only way anyone knows the difference is your badge and title in the corporate directory. Other than that, everything is the same.

You get a W-2 and everything.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#388

Post by gtirloni »

ender7 wrote: post #326
neilk wrote: post #300

I used to work at Google and the "class system" was something that grated on me from time to time. I didn't know any yellow badge folks myself, and was ignorant of their existence, just as the article mentions. But red badges (contractors) are ubiquitous. In one case they fired all the QA contractors and made them reapply for their own jobs -- we're talking about people who had deep knowledge of certain projects, who…

Good things to think about if you work for just about any large company. Staying late is a great opportunity to meet the people who work daily for your benefit. You might be pretty surprised with the conversations you end up having. My 2AM talks with our lab's cleaning lady were a surprisingly significant factor in successfully getting through my thesis. That said, I don't think it's unfair to pay people a standard w…

"I don't think the average janitor is really craving a daily massage." -- He/She is a human being and has as much right as the next person to want a massage (more so because he/she does physical work).

If I'm at home having a soda and the cleaning lady is in the same room, it feels awkward not to offer it to her. In this sense, the workplace is a big room with everybody in it.. it feels weird that some people have access to perks that others don't. So if I'm taking a limo home or getting a free soda and others can't... it just takes the joy of that luxury away. I would feel embarrassed about it and wouldn't want to use that benefit as often anymore.

At my work we've free sodas but I've seen people looking weird at the cleaning staff for taking sodas from the fridge. Why? I don't know and it's just disgusting.

Probably my mom is to blame for all of this thinking. Whenever I got a pack of Cheetos she would say "have you offered it to your friends already?".

We spent most of our time at work so, for me, it feels normal to extend to it the same "rules" I've at home.

By the way, I'm not saying people should have the same salary even though they do different work. Everybody should be paid according to his/her skills. What I'm talking is about the amenities that try to make the workplace a better place. They should be offered to everyone or no one.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#389

Post by gtirloni »

protomyth wrote: post #340
antiterra wrote: post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your dad's "winning" of the case was a mixed blessing. It did not result in temporary workers becoming real employees with full benefits. Instead, it removed a number of benefits from temporary employees of large corporations all over the country. It also removed the contractor's ability to work for longer than a year at a time without a break. For example, Intel does not allow temps to use the gym because their lega…

That churn is a huge PITA and disrupts implementation projects something fierce. The ruling also disrupts team cohesion at some places. I am convinced some of the outsourcing that has gone on is directly tied to this ruling.

why not hire the people that are expected to be doing work for your company for years to come? why they need to be "long-term temps"?

It doesn't make sense. It feels like this is a poor excuse for hiring cheaper labor and get away with hiring as few perm employees as possible.

Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex

#390

Post by gtirloni »

glenra wrote: post #204
fauigerzigerk wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's the combination of all these strange rules and Google's reaction in this case that makes me think the issue is slightly larger than bus schedules. They pride themselves of creative thinking, they hire lots of academics, even economists and sociologists. Some of these people should be able to figure out a reasonably cost effective way of organizing these things without making the place resemble a 19th century cot…

> They pride themselves of creative thinking, they hire lots of academics, even economists and sociologists. Some of these people should be able to figure out a reasonably cost effective way of organizing these things without making the place resemble a 19th century cotton plantation. Wait, so being offered a job that pays reasonably well with decent work conditions but for which you must solve for yourself the probl…

Not any but basic things like eating equally and transportation shouldn't be hard to arrange.

When you have a person being prevented from enjoying the same benefits of others.. and this person can witness this daily, how do you think they feel?

Large companies have forgotten the human side of work. That doesn't mean it doesn't matter.

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