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Seems like the premise of this article is that the highly paid tech workers in SV will unite to undermine the growing prosperity of the companies that employ th

by dahdum 9y ago

Seems like the premise of this article is that the highly paid tech workers in SV will unite to undermine the growing prosperity of the companies that employ them by driving them to be overtly political. To impose specific ideological constraints on existing open platforms. To pick sides and stand firm even at the cost of growth and profit. I'm skeptical even if the bull market continues. I think once the next recession hits and tech workers get laid off in droves it'll go right back to California Ideology.

Apocryphon 9y ago
There's rumblings of dissatisfaction already. Anti-ageism, anti-sexism, anti-sexual harassment, anti-terrible working conditions (see Amazon scandals, video game industry), all the way to stuff like anti-open office and anti-whiteboarding complaints. Also that despite relatively high pay compared to other industry, tech workers are not being paid commensurate to the profit they bring their companies. Badly structured equity deals. Golden handcuffs. Could tech workers actually unite and do something about it? Uncertain. But there's causes for it.
- ryankupyn 9y ago
  That's true - I think employees would be generally inclined to organize with specific pay/work conditions in mind (though many tech workers are highly skilled enough that they could more easily achieve those goals by going to another company, rather then going through the long-term commitment with one company that a union contract implies). But by compensating employees heavily with equity, companies have made it so that many Bay Area tech company workers would be giving up any hope of buying a house if they successfully organized in a way that diminished their employer's dominant market position (and the profits and high stock price that come with it).
- dahdum 9y ago
  All your anti-X examples are valid issues, and most of these large companies are very actively (and publicly) trying to improve those metrics. Google, Facebook, and other unicorns are going to great lengths to improve equality in hiring, compensation, and working environment. I see no reason to believe that won't continue, due in part to increased internal pressure. However, none of those efforts are going to substantially increase their costs or reduce their market share. Their tech worker demographics may shift, but overall income inequality will remain. "tech workers are not being paid commensurate to the profit they bring their companies" Isn't this true of every company that's not a cooperative of some type?
ejnulls 9y ago
>highly paid tech workers. If you can't buy the average home within a reasonable commute to your office, you are not anywhere near "highly paid."
fulafel 9y ago
Doing anything that deviates from being a cog in the machine is compromising against "the growing prosperity of the companies that employ them". You say it like it's a bad thing, but it's normal and accepted and human and widely viewed as a positive force. From an employer POV, you should expect, accept and maybe even encourage that your employees have personal and collective agendas in addition to their jobs.

by dahdum 9y ago

Apocryphon 9y ago

There's rumblings of dissatisfaction already. Anti-ageism, anti-sexism, anti-sexual harassment, anti-terrible working conditions (see Amazon scandals, video game industry), all the way to stuff like anti-open office and anti-whiteboarding complaints. Also that despite relatively high pay compared to other industry, tech workers are not being paid commensurate to the profit they bring their companies. Badly structured equity deals. Golden handcuffs. Could tech workers actually unite and do something about it? Uncertain. But there's causes for it.

ryankupyn 9y ago
That's true - I think employees would be generally inclined to organize with specific pay/work conditions in mind (though many tech workers are highly skilled enough that they could more easily achieve those goals by going to another company, rather then going through the long-term commitment with one company that a union contract implies). But by compensating employees heavily with equity, companies have made it so that many Bay Area tech company workers would be giving up any hope of buying a house if they successfully organized in a way that diminished their employer's dominant market position (and the profits and high stock price that come with it).
dahdum 9y ago
All your anti-X examples are valid issues, and most of these large companies are very actively (and publicly) trying to improve those metrics. Google, Facebook, and other unicorns are going to great lengths to improve equality in hiring, compensation, and working environment. I see no reason to believe that won't continue, due in part to increased internal pressure. However, none of those efforts are going to substantially increase their costs or reduce their market share. Their tech worker demographics may shift, but overall income inequality will remain. "tech workers are not being paid commensurate to the profit they bring their companies" Isn't this true of every company that's not a cooperative of some type?

ejnulls 9y ago

>highly paid tech workers. If you can't buy the average home within a reasonable commute to your office, you are not anywhere near "highly paid."

fulafel 9y ago

Doing anything that deviates from being a cog in the machine is compromising against "the growing prosperity of the companies that employ them". You say it like it's a bad thing, but it's normal and accepted and human and widely viewed as a positive force. From an employer POV, you should expect, accept and maybe even encourage that your employees have personal and collective agendas in addition to their jobs.