5 ms·

What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? This reminds me more of the student protests we used to see, wh

What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? This reminds me more of the student protests we used to see, where they wanted to walk out of classes or miss exams but also wanted special treatment so they didn't fail the class. I've got no problem with not working at a place whose values you dont agree with, but I see this kind of action (and similar things at other tech companies) more as expecting your employer to pay you to undermine them. I could be wrong.

arthurcolle 5y ago
> What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? That would be a pretty awesome outcome - Netflix shouldn't have to change their programming (which is generally largely uncontroversial for the most part - I mean when is the last time they truly pushed the envelope? Maybe the OATS STUDIOS and original Black Mirror content?) to satisfy the permanently dissatisfied members of these new-age social movements that attempt to force people to say things that they don't agree with for fear of getting 'cancelled' among other outcomes that are socially negative.
- LurkingPenguin 5y ago
  > That would be a pretty awesome outcome... Even more awesome if they filmed it and had Dave Chappelle standing outside to roast them as they were escorted out.
bawolff 5y ago
> What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? They work at FAANG. Pretty sure they'll be able to get new jobs very quickly. I suspect people involved with work stoppages who aren't protected via a union are keenly aware of the possibility of being fired and have deemed it worth the risk. > This reminds me more of the student protests we used to see, where they wanted to walk out of classes or miss exams but also wanted special treatment so they didn't fail the class. Umm, why not compare it to just a normal labour duspute strike action? This is literally a text book example of the type of action organized labour takes when its mad about something.
- Swizec 5y ago
  > I suspect people involved with work stoppages who aren't protected via a union are keenly aware of the possibility of being fired and have deemed it worth the risk. I think you vastly overestimate the amount of forethought that humans apply when following the herd. Just look at all the Jan 6 people who are completely floored that there might be consequences to their actions.
  - leereeves 5y ago
    That doesn't necessarily imply a lack of forethought. They might have seen all the leftists rioting, occupying government buildings, setting up autonomous zones, etc without consequences and thought they would receive similar treatment for behavior that was a common protest tactic in 2020. They just didn't see the double standard coming.
- xdennis 5y ago
  > Pretty sure they'll be able to get new jobs very quickly. That's what makes it so good for both parties: Netflix would get rid of employees who are holding the company back, and the employees could easily find new places to work. Seems very mutually beneficial. > This is literally a text book example of the type of action organized labour takes when its mad about something. It's not, really. Strikes are usually about workers: their pay, their conditions, their environment.
  - bawolff 5y ago
    I would argue this is about workers. Rightly or wrongly, they seem to think netflix did something morally wrong (i haven't watched the show in question, so not making any judgements on validity). People who work for "bad" companies are often seen as "bad", so it does affect the employees. More to the point, isn't the important bit that employees are angry and in agreement, not what they are angry about? It seems pretty dystopian to me to say only some grievences are legit. Anyways, there's also other examples of historical strikes over moral issues. Googling found me https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Longshoremen%27s_Association#Political_activities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Longshoremen%27s...
sincerely 5y ago
> What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? Isn’t that explicitly illegal in the Us? Lol
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  It is explicitly legal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At-will_employment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At-will_employment The people they terminate would even be ineligible for unemployment benefits since they admitted to slacking off at work, easily substantiating a termination for cause (and hence saving a Netflix some money by keeping their unemployment insurance premiums lower).
xdennis 5y ago
Firing them would have a very positive effect, like when Regan fired 11000 striking air controllers ( https://www.afacwa.org/reagan_fires_11_000_striking_air_traffic_controllers https://www.afacwa.org/reagan_fires_11_000_striking_air_traf... ).
Osiris 5y ago
> expecting your employer to pay you to undermine them. I could be wrong. This is a good point. There's likely a huge amount of content on Netflix that offends a lot of different people and groups. It's your choice to not watch, not subscribe, or not work for them. There are constructive ways to work with your employer but if you're going to go this route, you better be ready for them to dismiss you. Maybe I'll start checking Netflix open job boards. There my be some openings soon.
bko 5y ago
> What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? The employees would go on to complain about being improperly let go. This is what happened to Google AI Ethicist Timnit Gebru [0]. She wrote a very public letter demanding changes or she'll resign and Google took her up on the offer. If you go through her twitter[1] you can see she made the firing into her identity now even though it happened nearly a year ago now. It's kind of sad [0] https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/3/22150355/google-fires-timnit-gebru-facial-recognition-ai-ethicist https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/3/22150355/google-fires-tim... [1] https://twitter.com/timnitGebru https://twitter.com/timnitGebru
- arthurcolle 5y ago
  * she/her great byline, surely a hill to die on as opposed to real credentials. Can't remember what this is from but this quote always feels super applicable to these times: "World's gone mad, going off the grid. over"
dragonwriter 5y ago
> What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? As with the threat itself, probably nothing unless someone else said something about it that I felt called for a response.

arthurcolle 5y ago

> What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? That would be a pretty awesome outcome - Netflix shouldn't have to change their programming (which is generally largely uncontroversial for the most part - I mean when is the last time they truly pushed the envelope? Maybe the OATS STUDIOS and original Black Mirror content?) to satisfy the permanently dissatisfied members of these new-age social movements that attempt to force people to say things that they don't agree with for fear of getting 'cancelled' among other outcomes that are socially negative.

LurkingPenguin 5y ago
> That would be a pretty awesome outcome... Even more awesome if they filmed it and had Dave Chappelle standing outside to roast them as they were escorted out.

bawolff 5y ago

> What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? They work at FAANG. Pretty sure they'll be able to get new jobs very quickly. I suspect people involved with work stoppages who aren't protected via a union are keenly aware of the possibility of being fired and have deemed it worth the risk. > This reminds me more of the student protests we used to see, where they wanted to walk out of classes or miss exams but also wanted special treatment so they didn't fail the class. Umm, why not compare it to just a normal labour duspute strike action? This is literally a text book example of the type of action organized labour takes when its mad about something.

Swizec 5y ago
> I suspect people involved with work stoppages who aren't protected via a union are keenly aware of the possibility of being fired and have deemed it worth the risk. I think you vastly overestimate the amount of forethought that humans apply when following the herd. Just look at all the Jan 6 people who are completely floored that there might be consequences to their actions.
- leereeves 5y ago
  That doesn't necessarily imply a lack of forethought. They might have seen all the leftists rioting, occupying government buildings, setting up autonomous zones, etc without consequences and thought they would receive similar treatment for behavior that was a common protest tactic in 2020. They just didn't see the double standard coming.
xdennis 5y ago
> Pretty sure they'll be able to get new jobs very quickly. That's what makes it so good for both parties: Netflix would get rid of employees who are holding the company back, and the employees could easily find new places to work. Seems very mutually beneficial. > This is literally a text book example of the type of action organized labour takes when its mad about something. It's not, really. Strikes are usually about workers: their pay, their conditions, their environment.
- bawolff 5y ago
  I would argue this is about workers. Rightly or wrongly, they seem to think netflix did something morally wrong (i haven't watched the show in question, so not making any judgements on validity). People who work for "bad" companies are often seen as "bad", so it does affect the employees. More to the point, isn't the important bit that employees are angry and in agreement, not what they are angry about? It seems pretty dystopian to me to say only some grievences are legit. Anyways, there's also other examples of historical strikes over moral issues. Googling found me https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Longshoremen%27s_Association#Political_activities https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Longshoremen%27s...

sincerely 5y ago

> What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? Isn’t that explicitly illegal in the Us? Lol

lotsofpulp 5y ago
It is explicitly legal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At-will_employment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At-will_employment The people they terminate would even be ineligible for unemployment benefits since they admitted to slacking off at work, easily substantiating a termination for cause (and hence saving a Netflix some money by keeping their unemployment insurance premiums lower).

xdennis 5y ago

Firing them would have a very positive effect, like when Regan fired 11000 striking air controllers ( https://www.afacwa.org/reagan_fires_11_000_striking_air_traffic_controllers https://www.afacwa.org/reagan_fires_11_000_striking_air_traf... ).

Osiris 5y ago

> expecting your employer to pay you to undermine them. I could be wrong. This is a good point. There's likely a huge amount of content on Netflix that offends a lot of different people and groups. It's your choice to not watch, not subscribe, or not work for them. There are constructive ways to work with your employer but if you're going to go this route, you better be ready for them to dismiss you. Maybe I'll start checking Netflix open job boards. There my be some openings soon.

bko 5y ago

> What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? The employees would go on to complain about being improperly let go. This is what happened to Google AI Ethicist Timnit Gebru [0]. She wrote a very public letter demanding changes or she'll resign and Google took her up on the offer. If you go through her twitter[1] you can see she made the firing into her identity now even though it happened nearly a year ago now. It's kind of sad [0] https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/3/22150355/google-fires-timnit-gebru-facial-recognition-ai-ethicist https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/3/22150355/google-fires-tim... [1] https://twitter.com/timnitGebru https://twitter.com/timnitGebru

arthurcolle 5y ago
* she/her great byline, surely a hill to die on as opposed to real credentials. Can't remember what this is from but this quote always feels super applicable to these times: "World's gone mad, going off the grid. over"

dragonwriter 5y ago

> What would you say if Netflix called their bluff and just fired all the people that walked out? As with the threat itself, probably nothing unless someone else said something about it that I felt called for a response.