5 ms·

I see a ton of comments on this post that indicate how much power an individual can have. Many people point out negotiating from a position of power, for exampl

I see a ton of comments on this post that indicate how much power an individual can have. Many people point out negotiating from a position of power, for example by doing good work, or by being prepared to leave for a more remote friendly company. Honest question: Why do you think involving lawyers would improve the situation? Why do you think this is a matter of employment law? For what it's worth, I worked for a company where most software engineers were unionized. The union accomplished almost nothing on behalf of employees besides taking a chunk of their pay check and otherwise complicating situations that people are able to work out themselves.

edent 5y ago
> I see a ton of comments on this post that indicate how much power an individual can have. Not everyone is in as fortunate position as you. Not everyone wants to change employer. You are, to your employer, another cog. If you got hit by a bus, or suddenly resigned - the business would carry on without you. But if lots of you are unhappy - that's where the power is. If you don't think employment lawyers are advantageous - why does your business have so many of them? To counter your annecdata, I've worked in several heavily unionised offices. The union has charged very little and has consistently helped us make improvements which were initially resisted by management.
- jkingsbery 5y ago
  Employment lawyers are helpful with, well, employment law, which companies need to comply with. They don't help with everything though. Employment lawyers don't understand what I want and what trade-offs I'd be willing to make to have those things happen, nor do they, as employment lawyers, have insights into the specific trade-offs my employer "I want to have a different working arrangement" isn't a legal question. I recognize my good fortune. However, on a site called "Hacker News," I'm going to assume that most people here work in technology and have roughly similar leverage to what I have or have had in the past. If your employer doesn't treat you well and you work in software development, IT or a related field, you should leave because there are employers out there that will treat you decently. None of us are entitled to one specific job. Unions make sense in some situations. Evidently people in the technology sector have been able to work this specific question out without them.

edent 5y ago

> I see a ton of comments on this post that indicate how much power an individual can have. Not everyone is in as fortunate position as you. Not everyone wants to change employer. You are, to your employer, another cog. If you got hit by a bus, or suddenly resigned - the business would carry on without you. But if lots of you are unhappy - that's where the power is. If you don't think employment lawyers are advantageous - why does your business have so many of them? To counter your annecdata, I've worked in several heavily unionised offices. The union has charged very little and has consistently helped us make improvements which were initially resisted by management.

jkingsbery 5y ago
Employment lawyers are helpful with, well, employment law, which companies need to comply with. They don't help with everything though. Employment lawyers don't understand what I want and what trade-offs I'd be willing to make to have those things happen, nor do they, as employment lawyers, have insights into the specific trade-offs my employer "I want to have a different working arrangement" isn't a legal question. I recognize my good fortune. However, on a site called "Hacker News," I'm going to assume that most people here work in technology and have roughly similar leverage to what I have or have had in the past. If your employer doesn't treat you well and you work in software development, IT or a related field, you should leave because there are employers out there that will treat you decently. None of us are entitled to one specific job. Unions make sense in some situations. Evidently people in the technology sector have been able to work this specific question out without them.