Most of the Google Walkout Organizers Have Left the Company

https://www.wired.com/story/most-google-walkout-organizers-left-company/

by ChuckMcM • 7 years ago

4 4 7 years ago

ChuckMcM2• 7 years ago

I have said it before that your best option when you discover the company you work for no longer (or perhaps never did) shares your values about what is right and what is wrong, you only have two choices; work from within to see if the rank and file the same way and try to change it before you get fired, or leave on your terms.

I found this comment in the story kind of ironic, “I’m certain many in leadership—who learned what Google was and why it was great over a decade ago—don’t truly understand the direction in which Google is growing. Nor are they incentivized to.”

I don't know Meredith so I don't know how she reasoned to this statement but my experience was that many in Google's leadership understand exactly which direction Google is growing in and they like it that way. I had to poke and prod to get around the way things were presented to get to the actual reasons, and those reasons and actions are remarkably consistent.

RepAgent2• 7 years ago

I'm assume that you say 'only two options' as a rhetorical device to deny the validity of third option. It's different thing to say that worker activism is not proper than saying that it's not effective. I think your opinion is former but you try to argue the latter.

Creating larger bargaining unit from current employers is more effective than working as an individual. As these big tech companies have increasing number of workers who do not fear losing their job, it will create political power that is most effectively used collectively withing companies. This can work as traditional unions or just plain political activist groups.

ChuckMcM2• 7 years ago

Actually I was subsuming the option of unionizing into the choice of 'stay there and see how many people agree with you before you get fired.'

In my experience at Google it was clear that in Mountain View there was a program of 'managing out of the company' people who created problems. The sorts of problems they sought to minimize were disagreement or discussion that made actionable criticisms of management decisions.

As much as I dislike the actions of James Damore, his case, if it proceeds[1], has the potential to put a lot of this activity on the part of leadership into the public record. I personally think they will figure out what it will cost to buy his silence and make the case go away which won't serve the interests of the current employees.

[1] https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/06/07/google-discrimination...

Most of the Google Walkout Organizers Have Left the Company

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