Because I don't want to be politically involved in steering the future of yet anther organization. I want to program. I have enough trouble staying informed enough to steer the futures of my state and federal governments.
I can basically guarantee that you will have both an easier time and a more rewarding outcome getting involved in a members union of like 250 people than with a state or federal government in the US
Yes but I don't feel a union is necessary in my case. I am happy with my wages, benefits, and working conditions. If not I'll vote with my feet, no union necessary.
Fair enough, and it's great that you're in a position to walk to if you don't like your employment situation. With that said, workplace bullshit can sneak up on you, and looking for a job can be pretty time-consuming. IMO a good union is a form of insurance. Usually you don't need it, but when you do it's very nice to have
> it's great that you're in a position to walk to if you don't like your employment situation
From a person who doesn't work in Google, or Big Tech, or even in SV. This is one of the reasons why these attempts at unionization from Google employees tend to annoy me slightly.
These are the few people in the world that would get hundreds of job offers in seconds. Yet instead of moving out if they don't agree with Google's projects, they would influence the projects and maybe affect the future of the company rather than give up their place for the hundreds like me who would gladly work on any defence-related project.
1. > These are the few people in the world that would get hundreds of job offers in seconds.
AWU is wall-to-wall, so not only are the cushy FTEs represented, but also all the less cushy contract workers, part-timers, etc (of which Google employs many!)
2. > Yet instead of moving out if they don't agree with Google's projects, they would influence the projects and maybe affect the future of the company
Isn't that their right? Shouldn't the people doing the work of the company get a say in that company's future? The "if you don't like it leave" attitude is so strange to me. What if they like their co-workers and parts of Google, and want to use their (supposedly) meritocratically-won power to exercise control over the things that are close to them? That hardly seems like privilege to me.