tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33354037867147374752024-03-13T10:50:02.359-07:00Lionbridge UnionTemporary Workers of America represented Lionbridge's Tier1 employees<br> in the Microsoft's App Certification Lab<br>The lab closed down on Dec 3, 2016 but we kept fighting and communicating on line<br>Instructive reading for organizing contractors in high tech<br>Solidarity!temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-47868488767932107092022-04-03T16:45:00.009-07:002022-04-03T17:07:25.207-07:00A great story and victory : How two best friends beat Amazon<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Congrats people :) as told in the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/02/business/amazon-union-christian-smalls.html">NYTimes</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Next: how to extract a contract from Amazon. Best wishes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Our pal <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-02/amazon-warehouse-workers-just-redefined-what-s-possible-for-u-s-labor">Josh Eidelson's take</a>. Yep. 'Bargaining in good faith'. Hopefully the media will keep watching/reporting and other Amazon warehouses will organize. Same as Starbucks but with much larger workforces involved. Wondering how the customers could show/express/ their support, how could shareholders do the same. Any 'progressives' holding shares of Amazon? That would be a cool move :)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A first look at<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/052816/top-4-amazon-shareholders-amzn.asp"> the main shareholders</a>. We'll have to look elsewhere: ICCR's collection of <a href="https://www.iccr.org/2022-amazon-proposals">progressive proposals for Amazon</a>. See copy of 6,7, 8, 10, 13, proposals below </span></p><p><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">6. Proposal: </span><a href="https://www.iccr.org/sites/default/files/blog_attachments/2022_shareholder_proposal_amazon_final.pdf" style="color: #54bdc9; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; text-decoration-line: none;">Freedom of Association:</a><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"> </span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">Lead Proponent:</span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"> </span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">SHARE</span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"> </span></p><blockquote style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5em 30px;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px;">“The recent tragedies that led to the deaths of Amazon warehouse workers indicate the need for higher human rights commitments and better workforce practices at the e-commerce giant. Amazon should take greater responsibility for its workforce and allow them to use their freedom of association and rights to collective bargaining in the most effective way,” said Sarah Couturier-Tanoh, Manager of Corporate Engagement & Advocacy at SHARE. </p></blockquote><p style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">7. Proposal: <a href="https://www.iccr.org/sites/default/files/page_attachments/oxfam_-_workers_on_board_-_final_0.pdf" style="color: #54bdc9; text-decoration-line: none;">Hourly Employees on the Board of Directors</a>. Lead Proponent: Oxfam America </p><blockquote style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5em 30px;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px;">“Amazon continues to rake in billions of dollars in profits, while workers suffer some of the highest warehouse injury rates in the nation,” said Robbie Silverman, Senior Corporate Advocacy Manager for Oxfam America. “Placing an hourly associate on Amazon’s board of directors would be transformational, signaling an authentic interest in hearing the voice of workers at the highest level of corporate governance and demonstrating a commitment to investors that the company is taking workers’ concerns seriously.” </p></blockquote><p style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">8. Proposal. <a href="https://www.iccr.org/sites/default/files/page_attachments/zevin_-_indep_board_chair_-_final.pdf" style="color: #54bdc9; text-decoration-line: none;">Independent Chair.</a> Lead Proponent: Zevin Asset Management </p><blockquote style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5em 30px;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px;">"We need a change," said Marcela Pinilla. Director, Sustainable Investing at Zevin Asset Management. "The company needs a refresh from the top. Leadership to date has not shown that it is capable of being accountable. The “Earth’s Best Employer” is treating employees as expendable in return for growth and expansion. Amazon is facing numerous challenges that have only grown more serious in the past year. This calls for an independent board chair to help confront the company’s many challenges and provide oversight of executives’ risk-taking behavior. We are filing this proposal for the second year because we see a stagnant mind-set in how Amazon executives consider and define business risks. This behavior has come at the expense of key relationships including its workers and communities. An independent board chair should be separate from the CEO. They should have no material relationship or affiliation with the company, and they should not be a former executive officer of the company. One key obligation of the Board is to understand the limits of untenable business practices."</p></blockquote><p style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">10. Proposal. <a href="https://www.iccr.org/sites/default/files/page_attachments/ucf_-_paid_sick_leave_-_final.pdf" style="color: #54bdc9; text-decoration-line: none;">Paid Sick Leave</a>. Lead Proponent: United Church Funds</p><blockquote style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5em 30px;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Matthew Illian, UCF’s Director of Responsible Investing said: “One of the world’s largest and most profitable companies can afford to offer paid sick leave to all of its employees, and this would create a more loyal and adaptable workforce.”</p></blockquote><p style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">13. Proposal: <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5bc65db67d0c9102cca54b74/t/61b38ccd9e0760290023f5cd/1639156942001/AMZN+Proposal+-+Pay+Equity+2022.pdf" style="color: #54bdc9; text-decoration-line: none;">Racial and Gender Pay Gaps</a>. Lead Proponent: Arjuna Capital </p><p><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">“Amazon’s board has fought investors on racial and gender pay equity for the last 3 years, despite strong, consistent support for Arjuna Capital’s proposal,” said</span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"> </span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">Natasha Lamb, Managing Partner at Arjuna Capital</span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">, which filed a proposal citing Amazon’s lack of best practice pay equity reporting. “Given the pay divides that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, protests to uphold Black lives, and Amazon’s own statements of solidarity, it’s inexcusable and hypocritical that the company continues to fight this simple and reasonable investor request. Now is the time for Amazon to address the structural racism and sexism that relegates minorities and women into low-paying jobs, so we can create a more diverse, innovative, and accountable organization.” </span> </p><p style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">17. Proposal: <a href="https://www.iccr.org/sites/default/files/blog_attachments/domini_-_worker_health_safety_audit.pdf" style="color: #54bdc9; text-decoration-line: none;">Worker Health & Safety Audit.</a> Lead Proponent: Domini Impact Investments</p><blockquote style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin: 1.5em 30px;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 10px;">“The COVID-19 Pandemic and the recent tragedy in Edwardsville, Illinois, have raised serious questions around workplace health and safety at Amazon’s facilities," said Mary Beth Gallagher, Director of Engagement, Domini Impact Investments LLC. "The company’s high injury rates and turnover have also drawn scrutiny from legislators, regulators, and the public, while contributing to recent labor shortages and calls for change from workers. In light of this, Domini Impact Investments LLC is signaling to Amazon that investors want the company to listen to essential workers and support their right to a safe and healthy workplace.” </p></blockquote><p><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">“At Amazon, machines get better treatment than people. Amazon associates are breaking their backs and working nonstop for the sake of same day delivery -- our every move is watched and timed and if we slow down or mess up in any way, we are punished. Amazon’s inhumane, exploitative business model is a threat to working people and our economy as America’s workers are left injured, exhausted, and mentally battered each day. We must put an end to the high-tech sweatshops Amazon is running and the exploitative business model they are perpetuating across the country.” </span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">-</span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"> </span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">Courtenay Brown</span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;"> </span><span style="color: #322f31; font-family: museo_sans, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">(Amazon Associate at Avenel, NJ Fulfillment Center and Leader with United For Respect in Newark, New Jersey)</span> </p>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-37434573079903537192021-10-21T13:25:00.003-07:002021-10-21T13:40:42.660-07:00Transfer of the Temporary Workers of America's archives to the Labor Archives of Washington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;">Today I gave away the archives of our union that filled a suitcase to </span><a href="https://guides.lib.uw.edu/c.php?g=341780&p=2299772" style="text-align: left;"><b>Conor Casey</b></a><span style="text-align: left;"> who heads the</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/laborarchives/" style="text-align: left;"> <b>Labor Archives of Washington</b></a><span style="text-align: left;"> hosted in the </span><a href="https://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/laws/labor-archives-of-washington-state" style="text-align: left;"><b>special collections at the University of Washington</b></a><span style="text-align: left;">. "</span><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left;"><i>The Labor Archives of Washington collects, preserves, and makes accessible the records of working people in the Pacific Northwest and serves the labor movement by helping them preserve records of enduring value</i>."</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mjXFQWZ9uLc/YXHOkB3Y3OI/AAAAAAAAAoM/2Z-ab-CpsesVk77ZTWF7N-W3MVEBBy9AACLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/TWA%2Barchives%2Bsuitcase%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mjXFQWZ9uLc/YXHOkB3Y3OI/AAAAAAAAAoM/2Z-ab-CpsesVk77ZTWF7N-W3MVEBBy9AACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/TWA%2Barchives%2Bsuitcase%2B2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 18.75px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-43992087705888722652021-09-03T10:56:00.002-07:002021-10-21T13:42:14.574-07:00The New York Times takes on Facebook, Accenture and the way they exploit workers 'cleaning' horrible content<p> <span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/31/technology/facebook-accenture-content-moderation.html?referringSource=articleShare">Excellent article</a> published on August 31, 2021. Confirms all that is showed in the two French films about the way Facebook and other mega firms operate.</span></p>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-30044224427549438672021-08-16T13:09:00.002-07:002021-10-21T13:42:40.608-07:00Very interesting article about workers organizing 'independently' and apps that help them <p> <span style="font-size: medium;">It's an article published in Vice by Lauren Kaori Gurley, titled "<a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/epn87m/a-new-app-is-taking-labor-unions-out-of-union-organizing">A new app is taking labor unions out of organizing</a>". </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Mentioned in the article: <a href="https://unitworkers.com/">Unit</a> ... with <a href="https://unitworkers.com/team">a team of 3 people</a> (for now or maybe there also 'contractors"?) Lauren writes they "</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">launched in December 2020 with $1.4 million in funding from various venture capital firm". It would be interesting to know a bit more about hose investors and where the money is going: it's a lot of money for such a small team (at this point).</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Lora, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://getfrank.com/">Frank</a>, based in Chicago, raised $2 million. <a href="https://getfrank.com/about">5 people </a>(3 in technical jobs and no detail bio available)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Lora, Georgia, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://uniteonline.us/">Uniteonline</a> provides zero info on their website. </span></span></p>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-22562051321783067102021-07-29T07:37:00.007-07:002021-10-21T13:42:55.849-07:00Tentative bargaining agreement signed in Pittsburgh<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> Kim Lyons reports on July 23 in <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/23/22590357/google-pittsburgh-contractors-hcl-union-steelworkers">The Verge</a>. No details yet about the paid leaves negotiated. Let us hope their story does not end like our did after the bargaining agreement was signed. <a href="https://www.usw.org/news/media-center/releases/2021/usws-tentative-first-contract-with-tech-firm-hcl-improves-wages-job-security">The ratification vote</a> is scheduled for July 30. I wonder how the PTO negotiated compares with Microsoft's requirements for their suppliers.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I found out just now the agreement was ratified today, July 29. See <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/usw-tech-workers-ratify-historic-first-contract-at-hcl-301344377.html">the USW press release</a>. <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zitCUOM6x8G_gGjZt8lym1Ib8Tbr2wgS/view?usp=sharing">Here is the text of the agreement</a> (PDF), provided by USW (Thank you). It looks like they got 15 days PTO, 12 paid holidays and 12 weeks of paid parental leave. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">All our best wishes!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Microsoft's minimal requirements for PTO and paid parental leave:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">April 2015, <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2015/03/26/paid-time-off-matters-ensuring-minimum-standards-for-the-people-at-our-suppliers/">at least 15 days of PTO</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">August 2018, <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2018/08/30/paid-parental-leave-matters/">minimum of 12 weeks of paid parental leave </a></span></p>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-40790110206341173322021-07-07T18:00:00.007-07:002021-10-21T13:43:07.787-07:00GHOST WORKERS: the web based proletariat exposed by this second French 2019 TV program and feature film<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> Initially it is a September 2019 French TV program <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DpFoU-cBCPMk%26t%3D29s&source=gmail&ust=1625781372573000&usg=AFQjCNGVaoZp_8rA4KE7JHgEhH6G9XRpAA" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFoU-cBCPMk&t=29s" target="_blank">Cash Investigation</a> that you can see on Youtube. It lasts 2 hours and contains several interviews in English. The producers have adapted <a href="https://javafilms.fr/film/ghost-workers/">a 52 minutes feature film format</a> available on Vimeo (I have not seen it) with the title Ghost Workers. The program focuses on the bike riders for ubereats, the content reviewers working for Facebook via Accenture, labelers working for Google via Figure Eight. The segment about the Figure Eight CEO, Lucas Biewald is amazing, as is the quest to interview the CEO of Facebook France, running away (on camera) from the journalist trying to interview him. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I have pointed where you can look for those segments in my notes below but I have not found the time to organize them better. Sorry. But this is worth seeing. It exposes the disgusting overexploitative side of AI and the millions made on the back of the ghost workers :(<span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">High points of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFoU-cBCPMk&t=29s">the TV program on Youtube </a></span></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;">at 38 minutes, story of Franck Page, ubereats bike rider killed in Bordeaux. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">at 45 minutes, former managers... explaining about the GPS made for car driving, not bikes... at 47 minutes, not a day without an accident in Belgium (in 2017). At 50 minutes the CEO declines to meet. "We'll answer in writing": they never do.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">At 58 minutes, interesting interview with an AI specialist for Google in Zurich. Praises the supposed benefits of AI/machine learning but not a word about the human labelers who are indispensable and overexploited by contractors like Figure Eight in San Francisco. Lucas Biewald, the then Figure Eight CEO, declines to answer the questions about them: how much per label? 10 cents per label... how many 'labelers'? about 100.000 ? where do they live? all over. It took the journalists.months to find workers willing to testify and tell how little they are paid: see at 1 hour 08 1.08 en 30 minutes 180 questions so 30 cents! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Not at all good pay 1.15... $250 per month for full time work.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">click worker, amazon mechanical turk, "micro work"</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Janine Berg OIT. ( <a href="https://www.ilo.org/global/publications/books/WCMS_645337/lang--en/index.htm">2018 repor</a>t available pdf, digital labor platforms and the future of work: towards decent work in the online world is a bit technical.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Back to Biewald at1h19 with a shocking statement given in 2010 during a conference at the Common Wealth Club : with the internet you can hire people very easily, have them work ten minutes, pay them very little, and get rid of them when you don't need them any more... I retrieved<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxyUaWSblaA"> the link to this 2010 talk devoted to "crowdsourcing'</a>. You can find his comment at 5 minutes. The presenter, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Stone_(journalist)">Brad Stone</a>, has no clue about what 'reviewing' porn images full time represents... they all make it like a few minutes jobs but those are not. </span><span style="font-size: large;">The only true part is they are paid very little.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">At 1 hour 24 <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://quote.ucsd.edu/lirani/&source=gmail&ust=1625781372573000&usg=AFQjCNHOAEo3na6qA6tt_ZQx6Yi4-6418Q" href="https://quote.ucsd.edu/lirani/" target="_blank">Lilly Irani</a> of U San Diego Ethics and working conditions </span><span style="font-size: large;">showing Biewald statement to workers! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">At 1hour 25, what Google has to say, at 1hour 27 Olivier Bousquet not at ease when confronted to the exploited workers who feed AI... </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">1h33 Toronto worker for Amazon: training a drone to kill people Maven project by Google later stopped</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">1h37 Segments about FB: FB Zuckerberg. About the 'content reviewer": 15K of them (admitted)</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">FB declined to answer... who are the contractors... 800 euros par mois Accenture training for Google in Portugal... FB never mentioned</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">1hour 39 (we cannot give the name). 1.41 threat about confidentiality</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">3 weeks of training... FB makes the rules and that's it 1h44</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">1h46 Post traumatic stress 1h47 horrible images!!! people still impacted years later</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">high level of attrition</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">1h52. psy Thierry Baubet </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">1h54 After 2 weeks, when he leaves the training, the pay of the Cash Investigation journalist is 4 euros brut per hour!! </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_T._Roberts&source=gmail&ust=1625781372573000&usg=AFQjCNGEXneadFRmhPkzEfDfI7y8YkexYg" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_T._Roberts" target="_blank">Sarah Roberts</a> researcher about 'moderators" 1h55. UCLA book Behind the screen</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">1h58 trying to see the head of FB in France, Laurent Solly. (<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurent-solly-24806b16b/?originalSubdomain%3Dfr&source=gmail&ust=1625781372573000&usg=AFQjCNHna7ud-t_NCmLwX2YtgsB7s3p7MQ" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurent-solly-24806b16b/?originalSubdomain=fr" target="_blank">nothing on Linkedin</a> :) mais <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurent_Solly&source=gmail&ust=1625781372573000&usg=AFQjCNFMEKL6IdnU-MdGd1ugFpJb3PEwiw" href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurent_Solly" target="_blank">sur wiki fr :)</a> ex Chief of staff of Sarkozy</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">2h01 They track the CEO Laurent Solly at a public event and he flees refusing to answer: an amazing segment...</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">at the end of the show reference to a special issue of a french weekly magazine about the new web based proletariat</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/N265-nouveaux-pro%25C3%25A9taires-web-French/dp/2377151302&source=gmail&ust=1625781372573000&usg=AFQjCNG6m2Xqeal-OSdR5F1FIT2K2Ib5mw" href="https://www.amazon.com/N265-nouveaux-pro%C3%A9taires-web-French/dp/2377151302" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/N265-<wbr></wbr>nouveaux-pro%C3%A9taires-web-<wbr></wbr>French/dp/2377151302</a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">issue 26 September 2019 </span></div><div><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://le1hebdo.fr/journal/numeros/265/les-nouveaux-proletaires-du-web/conomie-numrique_web.html&source=gmail&ust=1625781372573000&usg=AFQjCNFwJXODqG4VjWWTaw_3bb5NF1MfHQ" href="https://le1hebdo.fr/journal/numeros/265/les-nouveaux-proletaires-du-web/conomie-numrique_web.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">https://le1hebdo.fr/journal/<wbr></wbr>numeros/265/les-nouveaux-<wbr></wbr>proletaires-du-web/conomie-<wbr></wbr>numrique_web.html</span></a></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">As for Lucas Biewald, he <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/10/appen-acquires-figure-eight/">sold his company for $300 million</a> in March 2019.</span></div>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-48113577759801863812021-07-01T20:44:00.006-07:002021-10-21T13:43:17.748-07:00Invisibles: the click workers. A French documentary about the overexploited workers without a voice <p> </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Best documentary at the <a href="http://www.bkkdoc.com/bkkdoc-2020.html"><b>2020 International Bangkok Documentaty Awards</b></a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3485977598135138">Content workers for Facebook in Dublin sue FB</a>.</b> Have you heard about it?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Statement in English from the French director<b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=894249484715793">Henri Poulain</a></b> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vASAMVRiy8s"><b>The first episode</b></a> (about bike ubereats riders with English subtitles) where the pressure to deliver leads to accidents, sometimes fatal. When such a tragic accident happens, ubereats refuses to provide any information about the worker! see at 6 minutes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Apparently the film is available via Vimeo (free 30 day trial and then you have to pay). Not sure how to get access :( </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I am trying to find out how English speakers can see the whole film.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Surprise in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8URdO7mDfg a"><b>the second episode</b></a> here comes... Lionbridge! see at 1.50 minutes (sorry it's in French). The worker based in France works for Google but this has to remain a secret.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6t0CEtc98k/YN6Ni-vz4WI/AAAAAAAAAkk/K7oh9hS2SrI5dplLm3I5ctCxG_p334DhQCLcBGAsYHQ/s832/lionbridge%2Bgoogle.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="832" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6t0CEtc98k/YN6Ni-vz4WI/AAAAAAAAAkk/K7oh9hS2SrI5dplLm3I5ctCxG_p334DhQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/lionbridge%2Bgoogle.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">At 7 minutes, she says that in 3,5 years, she has never met in person the employer, everything is done via internet. There is very strict confidentiality clause. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The film is originally a TV series in 4 episodes (mostly in French).</span></p><div><br /></div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-25064870192579131622021-05-09T14:49:00.001-07:002021-10-21T13:43:29.852-07:00Remembering HCL, wondering what's happening now<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Wondering how Ben Gwin and his HCL co-workers are doing now? Is he still hopeful as<a href="https://onezero.medium.com/google-lyft-uber-workers-speak-out-7fdabaf4b348"> in this interview</a>? My concern is HCL will send the jobs to Poland or elsewhere, anyway and Google will not be impacted (nor HCL). </span></p><p><br /></p>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-61217199992375858072021-05-05T15:26:00.003-07:002021-10-21T13:44:02.877-07:00Contract Worker Disparity Project<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">A very interesting initiative of the Tech Equity Collaborative, the <a href="https://techequitycollaborative.org/contract-worker-disparity-project/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=CWDP">Contract Worker Disparity Project</a>. I wish they could research/monitor how things now are for Microsoft's suppliers employees. Without such persistent monitoring, double-checking, things could easily get worse or not better (as they should).</span></p>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-36043195792318291942021-04-12T15:53:00.003-07:002021-10-21T13:44:37.227-07:00"Post Mortem", a very interesting article on the Amazon Bessemer story<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Written by Jane McAlevey for The Nation, "<a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/bessemer-alabama-amazon-union/">Blowout in Bessemer: a post mortem on the Amazon campaign</a>". I was also told that on the 505 ballots that were "challenged", 400 were contested by Amazon (no explanation available yet if ever).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Still not sure how many pledge cards were submitted.</span></p>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-11591489842957037052021-04-10T13:58:00.002-07:002021-10-21T13:44:54.823-07:00Did the Bessemer's Amazon workers workers say no to a union by a wide margin? <p><span style="font-size: medium;">We can read the workers at Bessemer's Amazon plant said no to a union by a wide margin. If we look at the numbers, we are told there were 5.805 workers who received ballots to be mailed back: 3215 were returned so 2590 workers did not vote: that's 44,6% of the total workforce. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There were 1798 NO ballots counted (not including the 505 that were contested) that's 55% of the votes but only about 31% of the total workforce of 5.805 who were eligible to vote. The fact that 505 ballots were contested, supposedly mostly by Amazon, not the union, does not seem to concern many commentators, because even if they were all in favor of the union, it would not change the final result. Maybe so but why were so many ballots 'contested'? 15% of the votes contested, that's substantial. Who is going to give us a detailed explanation? Are we going to know wether they were NO or YES ballots? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Considering all that, I dont think it's accurate to say the workers said no to a union by a wide margin: 31% of the total workforce voted no, less than the 44% that did not vote. Last but not least, for the vote to take place, the workers had to sign pledge cards: it's not clear how many such pledge cards were submitted by the union and certified by NLRB. I read 2000 or 3000. Both numbers are higher than the number of No votes. Why did those pledges not translate two months after they were signed into more votes in favor of a union? What caused such an 'erosion'? The habitual answer is the negative impact of the intense anti-union propaganda produced by the employer (linked with the threat/fear of losing the job with the plant moving somewhere else). What's next?</span></p>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-72751491535316467192021-04-09T15:00:00.007-07:002021-10-21T13:45:03.793-07:00The election for a union at the Amazon plant in Alabama... if it was in France. (as if)<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> After the lost election for a union in Alabama, I think it would be interesting to collect and compare the regulations in place in various countries where Amazon operate as far as elections for a union are concerned.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I suggested to <a href="https://amworkers.wordpress.com/">Amazon Workers International</a> to organize such a survey because many (most?) US citizens have no idea how things are outside of the US.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">For instance, I just looked for the situation in France as far as the employer's obligations are concerned: the employer has an obligation of neutrality, ie zero propaganda by the employer is allowed for or against the union. In French:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.economie.gouv.fr/entreprises/syndicalisme-entreprise-droits-regles-salaries-obligations-employeur#">https://www.economie.gouv.fr/entreprises/syndicalisme-entreprise-droits-regles-salaries-obligations-employeur#</a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This is a drastic difference with the US (understatement).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">If a union gets at least 10% of the votes, it is considered 'representative' within the company.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Another drastic difference with the US. As it is, the union would be considered as representative in the plant in Alabama as they got more than 10% of the votes.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">If you have contacts with people in the various countries where Amazon operates who could explain what their situation is, comparing it with what happened in Georgia, I think it would be instructive for the Americans who could read, or listen to it :).</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Below the results as presented by NLRB: click on the text.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZhxPDij_hw/YHDPVgK3LaI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/4K32qMf5P5kmgVhd5tqcc6dIhehbVmfSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s889/Amazon%2BElection%2Bresults.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="889" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ZhxPDij_hw/YHDPVgK3LaI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/4K32qMf5P5kmgVhd5tqcc6dIhehbVmfSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Amazon%2BElection%2Bresults.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-12272082369589139612020-10-08T17:00:00.001-07:002021-10-21T13:45:21.683-07:00HCL/Google violate the workers rights to organize by closing down the lab in Pittsburgh<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">We just learned the bad news of <a href="https://paydayreport.com/nlrb-google-contractor-moving-work-from-pittsburgh-to-poland-to-bust-union/">HCL closing down the lab</a> in Pittsburgh to send the jobs to Poland. Exactly the same illegal run away shop strategy Lionbridge/Microsoft used against our small union. Shame on HCL. Protest on their accounts on Linkedin, Twitter, Youtube etc. </span></p>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-65276393525479143562020-08-28T11:51:00.005-07:002020-08-28T11:54:24.410-07:00Why they organized at HCL in Pittsburgh<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Ben Gwin's story at HCL/Google <a href="https://onezero.medium.com/google-lyft-uber-workers-speak-out-7fdabaf4b348">as told to One Zero</a> is so similar to what we experienced at Lionbridge/Microsoft. I am now wondering where they are with the bargaining process, almost one year after they won the union vote.</span></p>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-72340393288281034122020-05-01T12:27:00.001-07:002020-08-24T18:11:46.083-07:00Change of name: welcome to Federation of tech Workers and United HCL Workers of Pittsburgh <span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-size: large;">Pittsburgh Association of Tech Professionals is now Federation of Tech Workers. Our mission remains the same: helping workers in the tech industry improve their working conditions and making their workplaces more fair and safer--now more than ever </span><br />
<span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-size: large;">Follow them <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PghTechProfessionals/" target="_blank">on Facebook</a>. (I could not find a website). They <a href="https://m.usw.org/news/media-center/releases/2019/workers-at-google-contractor-hcl-vote-to-join-usw" target="_blank">organized in September 2019</a>. No info (yet?) about the collective bargaining process. Also visit their twitter account <a href="https://twitter.com/hcltechunion?lang=en">United HCL Workers of Pittsburgh </a></span><div><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-57708755961576286422019-10-11T05:39:00.003-07:002021-10-21T13:45:54.558-07:00American Factory, a documentary on Netflix: Capital vs labor<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2019/09/10/759152615/why-we-should-all-watch-american-factory" target="_blank">Interesting</a>. It's too bad a majority of workers were scared enough to vote against a union :( </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">They were definitely exposed to all the same tricks, firing of pro-union workers, intense propaganda sessions (the very same stuff we were fed by Lionbridge and is fed everywhere), sudden $2 pay raise (look at what you could lose) etc... :( . At the end it's a 'classical' but not often showed in movies story of capital vs labor. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There are many reviews if you google American Factory. I selected <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/06/china-american-factories/531507/" target="_blank">this article </a>published before the film. Of course, workers would be better off with a union and the company would still make a profit (as we all know and <a href="https://yicaiglobal.com/news/profit-at-chinese-auto-glass-giant-climbs-nearly-one-third-to-usd614-million" target="_blank">as they already are</a>). Hopefully it will happen asap. Later I found<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/business/economy/a-union-body-blow-in-what-was-once-an-organized-labor-bastion/" target="_blank"> this by Jon Talton </a>for the Seattle Times.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I looked a bit more at <a href="http://fuyaousa.com/about/" target="_blank">Fuyao</a>: they just <a href="https://yicaiglobal.com/news/china-fuyao-glass-to-buy-insolvent-german-car-parts-maker-sam-for-usd665-million-" target="_blank">bought a plant in Germany</a> (that had gone bankrupt). Wondering if they have unions there. <a href="https://clb.org.hk/content/shifting-patterns-labour-protests-china-present-challenge-union" target="_blank">Here </a>about labor protests in China <a href="https://solidarity-us.org/atc/184/p4763/" target="_blank">now</a> and<a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/china-quarterly/article/shanghais-strike-wave-of-1957/9D742D6CC2F31739D084446AFE0EC403" target="_blank"> in the past</a>. </span><br />
<br />temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-18558015385040685512019-09-27T18:23:00.004-07:002021-10-21T13:47:48.761-07:00A few films I recommend<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm%3D255425.html&source=gmail&ust=1569716849898000&usg=AFQjCNGnJvz6sUe_P_h7QxRfyxXV5nKVXQ" href="http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=255425.html" target="_blank">En guerre</a>, 2018 (<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_War_(film)&source=gmail&ust=1569716849898000&usg=AFQjCNHgIarkupO1Sz-vYuku0csYvD3ylA" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_War_(film)" target="_blank">At war</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outsourced_(film)&source=gmail&ust=1569716849898000&usg=AFQjCNFtPfBkXDh-LeTBINDWS5yLxtngXg" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outsourced_(film)" target="_blank">Outsourced</a>, 2006 </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willmar_8&source=gmail&ust=1569716849898000&usg=AFQjCNFccO0Fcv7DBa0NoUUEWoP9tDPTdA" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willmar_8" target="_blank">Willmar 8 documentary</a>, 1981 </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Rae&source=gmail&ust=1569716849898000&usg=AFQjCNG8Qv8v06sRVw1zZnuJmlCFmm9IKQ" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norma_Rae" target="_blank">Norma Rae</a>, 1979</span></div>
temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-41668967978420993222019-09-27T07:40:00.000-07:002021-10-21T13:47:59.545-07:00Melinda's take on how to accelerate changeAs I am working on putting out a third and updated edition of The Other Microsoft, I visited Melinda Gates, <a href="https://www.pivotalventures.org/#what-we-do" target="_blank">Pivotal Ventures</a> website (here the <a href="https://www.pivotalventures.org/helping-guarantee-paid-leave-for-all-working-families" target="_blank">paid leave working group</a>, unfortunately with<a href="https://www.aei.org/*/paid-family-and-medical-leave-an-issue-whose-time-has-come/" target="_blank"> a broken link</a>) and as well as the <a href="https://www.evoke.org/" target="_blank">Evoke</a> one. <a href="https://www.evoke.org/articles/september-2019/gender-equality-is-within-our-reach" target="_blank">This extract</a> is dedicated to gender equality but it could apply to any change, including paid leave, a topic she has said she supports. Read below the content of 'Amplify external pressure'. I'll share my comments later. Take care.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fdfdfd; color: #111111; font-family: "Blanco Bold", serif; font-size: 2.4rem; letter-spacing: 0.5px;">3. Amplify external pressure</span><br />
<div class="typo-body-1 color-black" style="background-color: #fdfdfd; color: #111111; font-family: "Blanco Regular", serif; font-size: 23.75px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.68421;">
As I mentioned, the private sector is under new pressure to be part of the solution. But to unlock the progress we want to see at the pace we want to see it, we need to mobilize key constituencies to turn up that pressure even higher.<br /><br />Shareholders, consumers, and employees hold disproportionate influence over many private sector institutions. Investors’ votes can push companies to enact changes. Customers can use their purchasing power to reward companies that are part of the solution and punish those that aren’t. Workers can hold their employers accountable by walking out. And imagine what’s possible if shareholders, consumers, and employees work in concert to exert pressure on the same institutions at the same time.<br /><br />When the pressure is turned up high enough, walls that have long seemed rock solid can start to crack.<br /><br />We have been waiting to knock down those walls for a very long time—but we’ve never had the opportunity that we have now. If we seize this chance, then maybe the next time Rosie the Riveter tells us “We did it!” she’ll be right.</div>
temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-28698541572843706542019-09-26T10:08:00.003-07:002021-10-21T13:48:11.400-07:00Follow them of Facebook <a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0oRP8ayqpZM/XYzwWtXdu9I/AAAAAAAAAaE/VTrpjo9DBTIC9-5ef0VPxvD742fjZd_JwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-09-26%2Bat%2B10.06.13%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="745" height="348" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0oRP8ayqpZM/XYzwWtXdu9I/AAAAAAAAAaE/VTrpjo9DBTIC9-5ef0VPxvD742fjZd_JwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-09-26%2Bat%2B10.06.13%2BAM.png" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/PghTechProfessionals/" target="_blank">On Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.pghtechprofessionals.org/" target="_blank">their website</a>.temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-54592175255747441692019-09-25T08:56:00.003-07:002019-09-26T09:31:37.747-07:00Who reports about the vote to unionize at HCL/Google in Pittsburgh?<span style="font-size: large;">I find it interesting to see who reports about it and who does not.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Googling (thank you Google) shows the following pieces (incomplete as I don't have unlimited time to devote to the search)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://m.usw.org/news/media-center/releases/2019/workers-at-google-contractor-hcl-vote-to-join-usw" target="_blank">USW press release</a></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">in <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/google-contractors-voted-unionize/" target="_blank"><b>Wired</b></a>, by Paris Martineau</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">in <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-24/google-contractors-vote-to-join-united-steelworkers-union-says" target="_blank"><b>Bloomberg News</b></a>, by Mark Bergen and Josh Eidelson</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Shirrin Ghaffary in <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/9/24/20880727/google-workers-unionized-contractors-hcl-tech-activism" target="_blank">Vox/Recode</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sarah Todd, for <a href="https://qz.com/work/1715438/google-contract-workers-unionize-at-hcl-in-pittsburgh/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Quartz at Work</b></span></a> where I also d</span><span style="font-size: large;">discovered how Kickstarter is firing organizers, in</span><a href="https://slate.com/technology/2019/09/kickstarter-turmoil-union-drive-historic-tech-industry.html" target="_blank"> <span style="color: blue;"><b>this article on Slate</b></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">by April Glaser.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Colin Lecher in <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/24/20882206/google-tech-contractors-union-vote-pittsburgh-united-steelworkers" target="_blank">The Verge</a></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.wesa.fm/post/contract-employees-pittsburghs-google-campus-will-take-union-vote-tuesday#stream/0" target="_blank">Pittsburgh NPR station</a>, </b>before the vote, by Kathleen Davis.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/09/24/google-workers-have-formed-small-union-overcoming-techs-long-resistance/" target="_blank">In the Washington Post</a></span></b>,article by Greg Bensinger and Nitasha Tiku (one worker is quoted as saying "</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "georgia" , "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>For him, the biggest concern was paid time off', although "</i></span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "georgia" , "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Google, in April, said it would require contractor firms it works with to offer paid sick and parental leave, as well as improved health care and minimum pay of $15 per hour.</i>" But how soon should that be implemented and what were the minimal requirements, how many days etc.</span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "georgia" , "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "georgia" , "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #111111;">Very detailed article by Brian Conway for </span><b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8xwmnv/google-contractors-officially-vote-to-unionize" target="_blank">VICE/Motherboard</a></span></b><span style="color: #111111;"> section: he notes that "</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , serif;"><i>Martin Luther King Day and Presidents Day are paid holidays for Google workers, but not HCL contractors. As a result, several HCL contractors said they must use personal days on those holidays, as they aren’t allowed in the office without Google employees present." </i>We faced exactly the same discrimination at Lionbridge/Microsoft. Brian also mentions that <i>"</i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , "georgia" , serif;"><i>Several contractors said they are prohibited from discussing their salaries with each other"</i>: we had the same issue with Lionbridge but few people seem to know <a href="https://www.npr.org/2014/04/13/301989789/pay-secrecy-policies-at-work-often-illegal-and-misunderstood" style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">such a prohibition is illegal</a><b style="color: blue;">. </b>They had to change their policy after the NLRB found out while investigating one of our charges.</span></span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-15143754383335116332019-09-24T11:00:00.002-07:002021-10-21T13:48:30.852-07:00In Pittsburgh: success in organizing within a Google's contractor<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/23/google-pittsburgh-union-roots-transform-tech-industry?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other" target="_blank"><b>Excellent article in The Guardian</b></a>, by Julia Carrie-Wong about workers organizing to get a union, with so many similarities with our own story. In fact the vote is taking place today. All our best wishes of success, friends. We can only hope they don't play on you the <a href="https://mattaustinlaborlaw.com/2014/02/14/what-are-runaway-shops/" target="_blank">run away shop</a> strategy :(</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">That happened when we cornered Microsoft with an NLRB charge about them being a joint employer. Something that was too 'dangerous' for their business model, despite their claims of generosity and acceptance of unionizing, although it basically never took place (yet?) but for us. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Visiting twitter, I just found out <b style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="https://twitter.com/steelworkers/status/1176566618408792064" target="_blank">they won!</a></b> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">They are going to be represented by <a href="https://www.pghtechprofessionals.org/news/workers-at-google-contractor-hcl-vote-to-join-united-steelworkers" target="_blank"><b>United Steel Workers</b></a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Congratulations and again all our best wishes. Considering <a href="https://www.hcltech.com/about-us">the size of HCL</a>, (140K employees in 44 countries) it will be interesting to see if the unionization drive spreads, including in our region as, of course <a href="https://www.hcltech.com/microsoft">HCL partners with Microsoft</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.pghtechprofessionals.org/news" target="_blank">More info here</a> about the organizing.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-32171177613846042792019-08-28T07:31:00.000-07:002019-09-23T16:48:47.583-07:00How Apple mistreats its temps in ireland (and elswhere)<span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/aug/28/apple-ends-contracts-hundreds-workers-hired-to-listen-siri" target="_blank">a familiar story told in The Guardian</a> by Alex Hern.</span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-90671045490134369472019-08-24T10:50:00.000-07:002019-08-24T10:50:31.186-07:003 years of misery inside Google, the happiest company in tech. <span style="font-size: large;">Required reading: <i><b>3 years of misery inside Google, the happiest company in tech</b></i>, by Nitasha Tiku, in <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/inside-google-three-years-misery-happiest-company-tech/">Wired, August 13, 2</a>019. How will the revolt evolve after many of the main organizers left or were let go?</span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-59332039469089356282019-05-28T21:25:00.001-07:002019-09-23T16:49:58.086-07:00The more things change, the more they stay the same: Temps 1997 - 2019<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">NYT May 28, 2019, by <a href="https://twitter.com/daiwaka"><span style="color: blue;">Daisuke Wakabayashi</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/technology/google-temp-workers.html">Google shadow workforce: temps who outnumber full-time employees </a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The exploitation of the temps by High Tech companies started more than 20 years earlier, Microsoft leading the way:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">LA Times December 7, 1997 by Leslie Helm (later Editor of Seattle Business Magazine)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-dec-07-fi-61429-story.html&source=gmail&ust=1559148008969000&usg=AFQjCNFC6ys-C2htSGtbmPwmuNQYpjCQdg" href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-dec-07-fi-61429-story.html" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Microsoft testing limits on temp worker use</span></a> (abuse)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"<i>And earlier this year, about 90 receptionists were fired and told that Microsoft's clerical needs would henceforth be handled by an outside provider, with which they could enlist. Along with their jobs, those employees lost their Microsoft benefits and stock options.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"<b style="background-color: yellow;">We were overpaying them,</b></i>" said Bob Herbold, Microsoft's chief operating officer." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">And the push to use more temporary workers has paid off for the company. </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">“Boy, it’s had a positive impact financially,” </span><span style="background-color: white;">Herbold said in an interview.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">From <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/gates-accepts-modest-salary/">C-Net January 2002</a> about Herbold's compensation, who was the highest paid employee (more than twice what Gates was paid) or <a href="http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19970930&slug=2563419"><b><span style="color: red;">Seattle Times, September 30, 1997</span></b></a> by Michele Matassa Flores (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-matassa-flores-30a1b110/" target="_blank">now </a>Executive Editor of the Seattle Times).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><strong>Microsoft's chief operating officer Bob Herbold received $1.18 million in salary and bonuses last year, and another $3 million from selling stock</strong></span>. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Was he overpaid?</span></div>
temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3335403786714737475.post-55426753873633173012019-05-28T09:01:00.000-07:002019-07-29T14:08:54.591-07:00Google Shadow Workforce<span style="font-size: large;">Excellent <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/28/technology/google-temp-workers.html">article by Daisuke Wakabayashi in the New York Times</a> about the exploitation of temporary workers by Google. <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-dec-07-fi-61429-story.html" target="_blank">Leslie Helm's article about Microsoft's abuse of its temps in the LA Times</a> in December 1997. Plus ça change...</span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0