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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

#71

Post by orangecat »

rvz wrote: post #36

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)

You can't have employees disrupting company events to promote their political causes. This guy absolutely should be fired, and I'd be saying the same thing if his message had been pro-Israel.

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

#72

Post by PheonixPharts »

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.

What that means is "only status quo opinion and politics". It's implicit support of the mainstream ethos of corporate America, one which has well established it values profits over people.

Management works to serve those corporate interests, so it is in their interest to convey the message that the appropriate thing to do is be silent and comply.

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

#73

Post by mise_en_place »

mden wrote: post #37
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?

That's the beauty of the free market, you have the freedom of choice. You can vote with your wallet or your feet. You can leave if your personal ethics and morality no longer align with the organization you're working for. A business doesn't owe you a paycheck simply because you think you're on the moral high ground.

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

#74

Post by smashah »

Is there a word for the "If I don't get paid for building a baby-killing-machine someone else will" type of regressive attitude that many self-deluded contrarians exhibit in the tech industry? Many such people would be diligent VW/Mercedes/Tesch and Stabenow/Degesch employees during WW2.

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

#75

Post by CommanderData »

bluefishinit wrote: post #25
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.

Hosting an event with Israel is politics.

[flagged]

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

#76

Post by throwaway118899 »

Kapura wrote: post #8

>“This behavior is not okay, _regardless of the issue,_ and the employee was terminated for violating our policies.” There are some issues that are worth speaking up about. There are some issues that are worth being fired over.

[flagged]

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

#77

Post by khazhoux »

rvz wrote: post #36

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)

> Google are more than ready to fire you if you get in their way

If a person disagrees with Google's policies, and are not in a position (as VP) to change them, they should simply quit the company.

If instead, they decide to take deliberate actions which hurt the business (and thereby their peers), then the company should quit them.

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

#78

Post by salawat »

minimaxir wrote: post #32
hayst4ck wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

The go to excuse of every apologist ever, which will be applied to anyone that takes a stand in an effective manner.

The being fired is an implicit sign that the people trying to control the collective narrative of the organization feel their grip slipping.

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

#79

Post by user_7832 »

hayst4ck wrote: post #57
reactordev wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This needs to be emphasized more. It's not that they took a stance, it's definitely how they did it that warranted being fired over it.

What's a good way to take a stance?

In a quiet email to the CEO which will promptly get deleted, and will never hit any big media or HN's frontpage is what a lot of commenters here would argue for.

Being "polite" is nice if the person you're talking to is also nice. If the guy wanted to bring attention to the fact he did it very well.

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

#80

Post by rs_rs_rs_rs_rs »

Kapura wrote: post #8

>“This behavior is not okay, _regardless of the issue,_ and the employee was terminated for violating our policies.” There are some issues that are worth speaking up about. There are some issues that are worth being fired over.

[flagged]
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