Technology

Google is sitting on the "but they're contractors!" angle because it makes it easier for them.

Why?

Because once the union does collective bargaining with their actual employer, Cognizant, the company will have almost no recourse but to increase fees to Google for the contract work.

Once this happens, Google just says "Oops, you're shit out of luck" and then hires a whole new company of contracted workers for the same work, for cheaper.

Google purposefully uses this type of structure to ensure they never have to pay more, even when collective bargaining with unions does happen. Because then they can just shitcan the whole company and claim costs were too high. They certainly won't break their contract, but you can bet your ass when time comes to renew it, Google will have found someone new to take their place.

I really didn't think we would ever see a return to the days of the robber barons. Now I think that era was but an open mic amateur hour opening for the headliner that's coming.

Google has never been quick to learn lessons, especially when it comes to its workers.

Once the body of that first billionaire hits the floor, they're gonna start dropping like flies.

A Google spokesperson told Motherboard in a statement at the time of the unionization that it had “no objection to these Cognizant workers electing to form a union,” but that it would not bargain with them. “We are not a joint employer as we simply do not control their employment terms or working conditions—this matter is between the workers and their employer, Cognizant,” the spokesperson said.

NLRB seems to disagree. This will be an interesting case, I suspect ...

Can they automatically go union then? I thought there’s a new law about that.

What they should really do is pay musicians more.