back to article Google cut contractors off from online 'Share My Salary' spreadsheet, union claims

The Alphabet Workers Union (AWU) claims the internet giant blocked access to a shared spreadsheet in which it reckons "hundreds" of subcontracted workers had shared their salary details and "up to 50,000" of those folks are now prevented from looking them up. The group, also known as the Google Union, said it filed an Unfair …

  1. fidodogbreath

    How the story really ends

    "Illegal. How quaint," the executive said. His assistant recognized his mirthless smile, like an adult pretending to care about the prattle of someone else's child.

    A quick, almost imperceptible gesture from the executive galvanized the assistant into action. After few quick phone calls and money transfers -- a few seconds of profit for the company, but a fortune to the mere millionaires in Congress -- the new law written by one of the company's many lobbyists had replaced the old, inconvenient one.

    The assistant checked "gut labor law" off of the to-do list. There was no reward or acknowledgement from the executive, nor should there be. Bribing lawmakers was just another repetitive, low-skill task, like picking up the dry cleaning or berating the dog walker.

  2. Kev99 Silver badge

    I guess losing data saved to the web is a new experience and has never happened before.

    1. Dinanziame Silver badge

      I assume the spreadsheet is still available to employees, just not contractors

  3. stiine Silver badge

    Why?

    Why did they even have it in the first place? Also, why would a contractor want Google to know that information? If Google finds out that your employer is only paying you $8k/month when they're paying $20k/month for you, you can rest assured that they're going to be renegotiating your contract, or terminating it outright.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Why?

      They just created it themselves because they wanted to know... And if Google probably knows how much they're paid.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Google knows everything

    Including what you are for lunch.

    The problem is that they want to keep control of all of the data of the world and you only get a glimpse of a little bit if you pay them handsomely.

    Let's go Google!

    Oh, and you can't ban me because I don't have any accounts on your shite services..

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Terminator

      Re: Google knows everything

      "what you are for lunch"

      I'm sure that was just a typo and nothing more sinister 8)

      1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

        Re: Google knows everything

        Soylent Google is MADE FROM CONTRACTORS!!!!

  5. Craig 2
    Trollface

    They should have created it in Office 365, at least it would be available 365 days...err most of the time...

    1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      Yes, MS would have no reason to block access, but Google might be adding a very specific URI to their firewalls :-)

      Maybe people working for/at MS should do the same, but store their data on Google while the Googlers move theirs to MS?

  6. AbortRetryFail

    First rule of contracting...

    ... is that you never discuss your rate with clients, their employees, or even fellow contractors. Seldom anything positive comes from it.

    (Ok, not first rule. But it's a rule. Well, ok, a strong guideline)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: First rule of contracting...

      These people are probably closer to "gig" workers than "consultants / experts for hire", and you are probably in the latter category.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    If companies claim to offer equality

    Then they should publish salaries for everyone so employees don't have to "trust" their employer.

    Unfortunately, most only pay lip service to it.

    HR generally believes divide and conquer is better than fairness.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: If companies claim to offer equality

      Yup! I found that out when the guy I had been mentoring for 2 years (into a reasonable coder) left and told me what he had been earning - 24% more than me.

      HR blamed it on my negotiating skills when I joined the company - I was unemployed (for the only time in my life after a company site was shut down), and so was reasonably desperate for the job.

      HR are shisters!

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Keep ‘em guessing

    I contracted back to my old company for a single task. (after an amicable departure)

    Rumour was a weeks work earned me enough to fly the Mrs and I first class SYD to LHR return.

    LOL

    It was only business class…

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Keep ‘em guessing

      You are definitively a cheapskate, given all the bucks you earned!

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