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Kickstarter's Staff Is Unionizing (theverge.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: The staff of Kickstarter announced plans to unionize today. If recognized, Kickstarter would be the first major tech company with union representation in the United States. Members of the union, which goes by Kickstarter United, say they want to improve inclusivity and transparency at the company. To unionize, they're working with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 153. In a statement, the union said: "Kickstarter United is proud to start the process of unionizing to safeguard and enrich Kickstarter's charter commitments to creativity, equity, and a positive impact on society. We trust in the democratic process and are confident that the leadership of Kickstarter stands with us in that effort. Kickstarter has always been a trailblazer, and this is a pivotal moment for tech. We want to set the standard for the entire industry. Now is the time. Come together. Unionize."
In a world of Facebook and Twitter, Kickstarter feels almost quaint in its mission -- "to help bring creative projects to life" -- and in its charter as a public benefit corporation, which means that the company is "obligated to consider the impact of their decisions on society, not only shareholders." Its staff unionizing means the company will also have to consider more seriously its responsibilities to its employees. It also means that its fellows in Silicon Valley and beyond could be next. Kickstarter is fundamentally a tech company, and its staff unionizing with the OPEIU shows a way forward for other employees in the space. Kickstarter's staff is unionizing because they want to "promote our collective values: inclusion and solidarity, transparency and accountability; a seat at the table," the organizers write, noting that in the decade that Kickstarter has been around, it's democratized crowdfunding and brought more than 150,000 projects to life. "Kickstarter's efforts are incomplete, and these values have failed to manifest in our workplace. We can do better together -- for ourselves and our industry."
In a world of Facebook and Twitter, Kickstarter feels almost quaint in its mission -- "to help bring creative projects to life" -- and in its charter as a public benefit corporation, which means that the company is "obligated to consider the impact of their decisions on society, not only shareholders." Its staff unionizing means the company will also have to consider more seriously its responsibilities to its employees. It also means that its fellows in Silicon Valley and beyond could be next. Kickstarter is fundamentally a tech company, and its staff unionizing with the OPEIU shows a way forward for other employees in the space. Kickstarter's staff is unionizing because they want to "promote our collective values: inclusion and solidarity, transparency and accountability; a seat at the table," the organizers write, noting that in the decade that Kickstarter has been around, it's democratized crowdfunding and brought more than 150,000 projects to life. "Kickstarter's efforts are incomplete, and these values have failed to manifest in our workplace. We can do better together -- for ourselves and our industry."
say they want to improve inclusivity and transparency at the company.
This reads like a train wreck in progress. I can't wait.
Mod me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete!
"Kickstarter management announced that it will be offshoring it's operations to Bangalore."
In a statement from the CEO: "We needed to focus on our core competency and will continue to make Kickstarter great by offshoring non-essential operations to a third party. This will maximize the equity of the founders, senior management and the board of directors."
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
I'm sure we'll hear all the arguments about shipping jobs overseas or whatever.
That's already happening. The fact that we're making LESS today than we did years ago (inflation adjusted) should tell you something. And it's NOT all offshoring or H1-bs.
And it's not just making less- it's longer hours. I remember when you could work 9-5 in this industry and NOT have to be "available" 24/7 - even on vacations.
I miss having a life. A life where I could leave work, go exercise, learn some crazy technology that has no marketable value on my free time (like Python when it first came out), have friends outside of work and who weren't techies, ... not always having to show my "value" compared to some third world worker who is so desperate that they'll do anything to keep their job! ....er, that's were I am now!
Spiral to the bottom.
We're getting there!! There's a 4 or 5 digit Slashdotter who predicted this 20+ years ago. I wonder if he's still around.
I wouldn't want the pay cut
collectively bargain your way out of employability
Why? For ideological zealots who are offended by every attempt to better ones station in life?
You've never heard of shareholders forcing a CEO out?
I would love to be 'forced out' with the type of golden parachute that CEOs get.
Neat. I love anecdotal data. I work in a union shop as well. We all bust our asses and receive a 10% contribution to our 401k's and a 10% cash bonus each Christmas. Your workers are lazy because you work for a shit company with shit hiring managers and pay bottom-of-the-barrel salaries. Have fun being treated like bitch your whole life.
I would ruthlessly reject any attempt at my staff unionizing as well, that's because there is no reason for developers that I hire to be a 'union', they are paid very well for where they are and what they do and I have 0 interest to talk to groups of people, if I wanted to talk to groups I would talk to governments and I hate governments.
People will negotiate with me on their own, not as groups, it sounds like coercion and oppression by groups and I won't stand for it. The greatest problem of-course is government laws created for protecting unions.
You can't handle the truth.
The problem is the problems of today are not the problems a hundred years ago, however, the Unions are structure roughly the same way.
100 years ago most communities were centered around one or two factories. People had limited transportation available to them, the idea of transporting from one town to the next one 10 miles away was a big deal. So you worked for the company, lived in company housing (which your rent came out of your pay), having to buy food at the company store. If you got injured and couldn't work, you have lost your job and your access to housing and the company store, which is a big part of the community you lived in. In short, the company owned you, and you were really one step above being a slave.
Today (and thanks to the effort of these unions of the past) The conditions are now much different, we have the ability to find work in different towns and cities, even go across states for commuting isn't unheard of. There is a social safety net where there are unemployment payments where you can pay you enough to keep your home for a while, where you can find another job.
However, Unions play on the idea that you are stuck to your job. Where today being stuck, just means, we don't want to risk getting another job. But It is a different environment. While today's economy and the workers need support in negotiating with the company, today's Unions are seeming more fixed on gaining a power base, then actually helping the employees with useful things like wage parity, health care, benefits.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Cops in any state and NY teachers come to mind.
Like I said, a handful of examples.
However, it's not a misinformed myth that unions will keep people around who really should be fired..
The poster I responded to implied that the unionized Kickstarter employees would be immune to firing. The underlying implication was that this is a fact for all unions. It is not, by a long shot. You provided two examples out of thousands. So you're right, this isn't a misinformed myth. It's just pure misinformation.
Nor are the infallible in their decision making and they're as capable of any vice as the company board.
Not sure why this is relevant. I never implied that they weren't.