Request to withdraw charges against Microsoft and Lionbridge

On April 18, in accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement, the union officially requests the NLRB to withdraw its charges against Microsoft and Lionbridge.
(Microsoft 19-CA-189865 & 189881; and Lionbridge, 19-CA-189868 & 189895).

NLRB decision against Microsoft and Lionbridge

On April 10 the union learns that the NLRB in DC a rejected the petition by Microsoft to try to block the investigation of our charges for joint employment. This decision arrives too late to have an impact on our settlement negotiation. The order from the NLRB is dated April 9. You can find the document online at https://www.nlrb.gov/case/19-CA-189865 or see below.
Microsoft and Lionbridge had filed their petition one year earlier, on May 22, 2017.

On March 26 the union sends the signed settlement agreement to NLRB

Before this final signature there had been some back and forth with the NLRB as they were reviewing the proposed settlement.

On February 23rd, the union agrees to Lionbridge's proposal

After consulting with the board, members and outside advisers, the Union decided to accept Lionbridge's settlement proposal of February 19.

Satya Nadella's focus on empathy: will it lead to extending paid family leave and paid public holidays for suppliers employees?

In the foreword (page 13) of the second edition of his book The Other Microsoft, Philippe Boucher quoted Satya Nadella's focus on empathy. We have not had the opportunity -yet- to read   Hit refresh: The quest to rediscover Microsoft's soul and imagine a better future for everyone" but from the reviews we read he reasserts  for him the importance of empathy. We hope this empathy will contribute to expand Microsoft's initiative to have their suppliers provide 'at least 15 days of paid time off" to add paid family leave and paid public holidays that are not specifically offered now.
 You can also read this interesting interview by Jane francisco about the Nadella's family in Good Housekeeping (November 2017). A few other articles about empathy: NPR,  Business Insider,  Fortune, etc.
This is a reprint from a post on Paid Time Off Matters

Big business attacks Obama era joint employment rule from every angle

Interesting article in the Washington Examiner about joint employment.

To understand rising inequality, consider the janitors at two top companies, then and now

This article by Neil Irwin, published on September 3 in the New York Times was reproduced (not by chance) in the Sunday edition of the Seattle Times, on September 10. It explains very well how most (if not all) high tech companies did not share more of the wealth unlike previous dominant industries of the past had done.