So how many more layoffs before we start making Unions?
Unions also generally don't work for tech workers because as an individual, you can can make more than the collective. Why would I want to wait for everyone at my position to get a raise before I get one?
This works for positions that don't require that much skill and almost anyone can do.
The union I am in is actively hostile to improvements because so much of what they do is stuck in the mid 2000's. I was told by my shop steward that they will block automation at every chance they get because it will make the current staff obsolete and they refuse to learn new skills.
Very much believe that unions, and power to the workers, are very important!
1) Young developers are pitted against older developers in an effort to drive down the salaries of everyone in the industry.
2) You can be fired at any time for any reason.
3) The whims of management (i.e., workplace politics) are the primary force behind whether or not you are promoted, whether or not you are disciplined, your work assignments, and your career progression.
4) Your working conditions (see "remote work) can be changed at a moment's notice in an effort to make you quit your job, accept a lower salary, or as a backdoor justification to otherwise discriminate against you.
5) Layoffs can happen at any time for any reason (or a reason that's completely made up by your CEO -- see "AI" for the current made up reason of the year), and you have no recourse. You have no right to transfer to another position in your company, return to your job after the economic conditions improve, and often have to sign NDAs or agree to ridiculous conditions to collect your severance (if one is even offered)
6) Threats to outsource your job to a foreign company/"AI" are constantly in the air in an effort to make you feel like you deserve less, work more hours, and constantly audition for your job day in and day out.
You're not exempt from any of this if you're a highly-paid IC who is reading this, by the way. In fact, you should know that they really resent having to pay you your big salary (that's their money), which is why you're always going to have a target on your back. You don't think the managers who currently make less than you get paid aren't resentfully eyeing your line on their spreadsheet?
The way to stop all of this is to unionize. Don't you think it's about time?
As long as the union bosses get their due they don't care what happens to the rank and file.
There are a ton of unionized industries, if you like unions so much you should join them. If all the heavily unionized industries look terrible consider if there's a reason for that
We literally have people that use their phones to take pictures on monitors, email themselves the photos, then print them out. Why? Because the new tools and systems require training and that's not in their contract. It's crazy-making.
If all the completely un-unionized industries look terrible consider if there are reasons for that, too. Again, see parent.
The US has seen a great deal of anti-communist and anti-socialist and anti-union propaganda over the last century. The cries of antisemitism recently would indicate that Jews are next. We're following the Niemöller script!
Now seems like as good a time as any to remind everyone the national socialists were, in fact, ardent socialists, and their oppressive nature came from the belief socialism could only work in racially pure societies.
I hope that AI, in whatever form, hastens this. People are probably in for a rude awakening.
Some things that Unions have gotten us. - 40-Hour Work Week & Overtime Pay - Child Labor Laws - Workplace Safety Standards - Employer-Provided Benefits - Minimum Wage - Civil Rights & Anti-Discrimination - Job Security & “Just Cause” Termination - etc, etc etc
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/may-1/ford-facto...
Health insurance attached to your job is more complex, as the first major instances were in Germany in the 1800's, however generally it was a result of wage controls during WWII. Private companies weren't able to compete on wages, so they started adding benefits.
Unions do not progress employee benefits, they're hostile political organizations inside companies, and once you understand that everything else makes sense. If unions attracted top talent than companies who wanted top talent would enact them; and if they improved wages then the best wages would be union jobs. In private industry, this is essentially never the case.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/may-1/ford-facto...
Glitch (prior to being bought by Fastly) was also unionized, but the unionization stopped after Fastly.
Did they discriminate against you? Did they retaliate against you?
We have unions everywhere and they bargain for everyone. You do not need to be unionized to have advantages - they are the same for everyone.
Unions can be annoying but ultimately the good outweights the bag: we have days off, sick days, firing is difficult etc.
The problem isn't just a lack of solidarity, but a codependency on corporations and a lack of worker-owned co-ops as a more sustainable alternative.
If you can avoid it, stay as far away as you can. The gains do not outweigh the cost.
Rant over.
if you can't unionize FAANG, there is no point, its like the UAW but they never got into GM or Ford
you will never unionize FAANG:
the highest paid ICs will see no point, a union is just leveling them down and forcing them to join ranks with people they don't really care that much about
the lowest tiered employees are fungible and can be terminated before they can organize
HN will want to reflexively downvote this, but think it through...how do you unionize the entire engineering dept at a place like Apple? its not possible
Are you waiting for the king to say when its ok to unionize?
I am in a union and I have less rights that I did before because I can't work with my boss to figure out the best way to work. I am BOUND by contact and there are 400+ other people that I would have to convince to even change my schedule.
Unions restrict the cooperation AND YOU. Your voice becomes one in a sea and is lost in the noise.