Alphabet Workers Union hits Google data center contractor with labor complaint: We were banned from discussing wages, say staff

The Alphabet Workers Union on Wednesday filed a labor complaint against Google contractor Modis, claiming that for the past six months the staffing firm has prevented workers from discussing wages and job conditions as allowed under US law. The complaint, filed with the US National Labor Relations Board by CWA Local 1400’s …

[ecofeco]

I.T. contract temp workers

The new itinerant workers of I.T. And treated as such. And a very large portion of I.T. jobs these days.

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Re: I.T. contract temp workers

Not an opinion with el'reg readership

Let a 1000 IR35 trolls bloom

[Winkypop]

Wage slavery

Not just an American phenomenon.

It has spread around the world.

“Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.”

― George Orwell, 1984

[don't you hate it when you lose your account]

Re: Wage slavery

1984 could be viewed as the rulebook for the modern Internet.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Wage slavery

1984 could be viewed as the rulebook for the modern Internet society.

[Potemkine!]

Human Resource

she criticized management for failing to replace damaged water bottles and voiced support for the union

How did she dare to do that?

[J.G.Harston]

Sigh!

If. You. Don't. Want. To. Work. For. Google. Don't. Work. For. Google.

[David Neil]

Re: Sigh!

if.you.don't.want.to.be.fucked.up.the.arse.by.your.employer.why.do.you.have.an.arsehole

[IGotOut]

Re: Sigh!

Read.The.Fucking.Article.They.Don't.Work.For.Google.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Sigh!

St. Jobs too was found leading a cartel to squash workers demands... if you let them break your rights, soon you won't find any place to work but accepting to surrender your rights.

Anyway I hope the Californians who voted the proposition, will soon find themselves in line for the same treatment - there are already many pushes to transform for example software developers jobs into full "independent contractor" ones.

Having one's food delivered cheaply by an underpaid serf could become very costly in the future.

[bombastic bob]

Re: Sigh!

I would be more sympathetic to their union if not for the fact that this union was, in part, started over objections to the 'Maven Project'. And though I agree with the their dislike of a "real names" policy, it's usually the point of a union NOT to dictate corporate policies and contracts, but to protect rights of employees and in doing so provide needed services to the company they contract with.

So I have to agree with the idea - if you do not like working for Google, there are other employers. I know _I_ would not like working for Google. So I don't.

I'm not against unions, but I don't see an I.T. union being all that effective. if it were more of a guild, where it acts more like a standards setting organization and even provides employment "head hunter" services, it might make sense.

[notmyopinion]

Re: Sigh!

I think you're missing the point of a union. Headhunting services hardly solves the problem of widespread abusive behaviour by employers.

And whatever the final straw that led to the formation of the union (Maven or something else) there are still issues within the company that should be highlighted and addressed.

[AVR]

I've had a couple of managers who regarded anything they found inconvenient as being immoral. Discussing wages was one of those things in both cases.