Google Walkout Organizers Explain Their Demands

This instance of collective action from inside a tech company is important, not just for the specifics of Google, but in acting as an example to workers in other companies.

And of all the demands, this is the one that could have the biggest effect in the US tech world:

An end to Forced Arbitration.

Google Walkout Organizers Explain Their Demands

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An Apology for the Internet — From the People Who Built It

A hand-wringing, finger-pointing litany of hindsight, published with 11 tracking scripts attached.

  1. Start With Hippie Good Intentions …
  2. … Then mix in capitalism on steroids.
  3. The arrival of Wall Streeters didn’t help …
  4. … And we paid a high price for keeping it free.
  5. Everything was designed to be really, really addictive.
  6. At first, it worked — almost too well.
  7. No one from Silicon Valley was held accountable …
  8. … Even as social networks became dangerous and toxic.
  9. … And even as they invaded our privacy.
  10. Then came 2016.
  11. Employees are starting to revolt.
  12. To fix it, we’ll need a new business model …
  13. … And some tough regulation.
  14. Maybe nothing will change.
  15. … Unless, at the very least, some new people are in charge.

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No one’s coming. It’s up to us. – Dan Hon – Medium

A terrific piece by Dan Hon on our collective responsibility. This bit, in particular, resonated with me: it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately:

We are better and stronger when we are together than when we are apart. If you’re a technologist, consider this question: what are the pros and cons of unionizing? As the product of a linked network, consider the question: what is gained and who gains from preventing humans from linking up in this way?

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