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Steve Ballmer Responds to Discrimination Issue

Posted by Zonk on from the everyone-is-entitled-to-an-opinion dept.

sriram_2001 writes "In a long email to all Microsoft employees, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer laid out the reasons for Microsoft changing its stance to neutral on the anti-discrimination bill. He explains that Microsoft wanted to focus on fewer legislations and that the anti-discrimination bill was one of the bills that they didn't have the resources to follow. Also, far from caving in to Rev.Hutcherson, Microsoft told him to take a hike when he asked them to fire 2 employees for testifying during the legislation consideration period. He goes on to explain how though he personally supports the bill, a lot of employees and shareholders don't. Finally, he raises the question on whether corporations should get involved in social issues."

3 of 633 comments (clear)

  1. Which legistations? by ahziem · · Score: 4, Interesting

    >He explains that Microsoft wanted to focus on fewer legislations Which legislations are they focusing on instead?

  2. Re:Why is this a question? by AHumbleOpinion · · Score: 4, Interesting

    No they should not. They are not real persons, and by definitions have no interests except profits.

    And individuals petitioning congress never have self-centered motivations and propose things beneficial to themselves but harmful to society overall? And none of these individuals have loads of money?

  3. I find Ballmers statement refreshing by bourdeau · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I think that this statement from the letter sums of the problem rather well:

    "What message does the company taking a position send to its employees who have strongly-held beliefs on the opposite side of the issue?"

    We have dealt with this same question in my company where the leaders in the company have strong feelings about social issues and are tempted to use the power of the corporation to foist those opinions on the employees. I think Ballmer gets it right when he indicates that Microsoft has an interest in taking a stance on legislative issues that affect the business in terms of competitiveness and other less-social concerns. A company as large as Microsoft has employees that will have opinions on social issues that cover the entire spectrum. It's threatening to employees for the corporation to take a public position on these kinds of personal issues. I think that it's healthy for corporations to set a tone for it's workers that focus on cultivating a work environment focused on productivity and cooperation. I applaud Ballmer.