Tech worker movements grow as threats of RTO, AI loom : technology

[+] [email protected] -18 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (3 children)

Unions will not increase the average wage. They will only even-out wages across the economy. Which means they will increase the lowest wage.

Unions will not solve the social problems in the US. UBI (Universal Basic Income) will solve them.

You need to advocate for UBI. There is no good reason not to have it.

UBI doesn't cost the economy anything. That's no "donating money to poor people". Poor people will immediately spend it on food and housing/apartmenting, which means the money stays (better yet, flows) within the local economy.

The reason the US doesn't have UBI yet isn't because it isn't affordable. It is. The reason UBI wasn't introduced so far yet is because they wanted to scare the people into working harder. It's for psychological reasons, not for real (financial/technical) reasons.

If there is 1 homeless person sitting by the street, people will say "they're lazy and deserve this because they didn't work hard. So i need to work harder". If there's 100 homeless people sitting by the street, people start to realize it's not their fault and the system is at fault; and will demand drastic dramatic changes. UBI is an effective way to prevent that. UBI isn't a choice - it's a necessity for a stable society.

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[–] [email protected] 152 points 1 week ago (10 children)

I had a shower thought the other day that if more CEOs were shot dead, there'd probably be less Return to Office.

People are sometimes like "oh but violence is bad!" but ignore all the casual harms inflicted on people by capitalism and friends.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (3 children)

You had me until you distilled everything into "capitalism"... Life isn't black and white.

Inb4 the intellectually dishonest response of "but I said 'and friends!'".

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[–] [email protected] 96 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I’m in management now but I say go get ‘em please.

[–] [email protected] 63 points 1 week ago (1 children)

most management I would assume would be with the workers. If your not c suite your nothing.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Tech is a bit different because a significant portion of your compensation comes as stock when you get higher up the ladder but yeah.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

Yeah I would say that is high enough but its pretty up there for stock to be all that significant.

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[–] [email protected] 92 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Nothing will meaningfully improve until the rich fear for their lives

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[–] [email protected] 65 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Fingers and toes crossed, get'em for every last penny!

[–] [email protected] 70 points 1 week ago (2 children)

luck is not gonna help. Only action and organizing can save us. Join a union too.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

True, but for those of us laid off in the past couple years and spent months looking for a new job, I'm not really super eager to stick my head out and rock the boat.

This was the hardest job search I've had to do, even as far as multiple rounds of leetcode, and kind of reminds me of how annoying finding my first dev job as a recent grad. Not really looking to do that again any time soon lol

Though if my company tries to RTO us, it'll be a constructive dismissal for me (I spoke with a lawyer already before) and then I'll have to job search again anyway.

We probably won't get RTO'd though, we've been doing WFH for years here thankfully.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Oh, I would if I lived in a place which had such movements, believe me... As it is, all I can do is wish for Lady Luck to smile upon those who have the chance! Sure, it's a bad idea to bank everything on luck, but it can never hurt to have some on your side!

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

where do you live? The tech workers movement is reaching pretty much everywhere there's tech production.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Romania. There haven't been any significant developments in this sense around here, at least not as far as I know. Each company around here has a Wagers' Rep of sorts and they gather with other such Reps and discuss wage related stuff, but it's nowhere near as elaborate as a Union, nor has it ever felt significant in any relevant way.

Most people have kinda'... given up on this country. Everyone scrambles to eject themselves abroad as soon as humanly possible. Can't say I blame'em.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Are you aware that Romanian IT sector has the highest rate of unionization of any IT sector in the world? SITT is a case study studied all over the world. https://transform-network.net/blog/interview/the-romanian-it-workers-labour-union-showed-that-everyone-can/

It might not be the sexiest, most modern radical union, but it is a case of success with numbers to show. Maybe you can start from there.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Huh, I honestly had no idea, thank you! I'll certainly start looking into it! Perfect timing, too, quit my job so I could focus on trying to get into stuff like this!

I sure hope the fact that it isn't common knowledge (at least not among most of the people with whom I've worked during the past decade) is down to them being effective and not it being a hopeless cause, though... Speaking from personal experience (and I leave room for doubt because I have notoriously bad luck in general), it sure didn't feel all that grand working in this industry. Not about the work in itself, but the practices...

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Pretty much anywhere outside the USA, the communication of tech workers unionizing is pretty much absent and expecially news about it. This is a big deal, but it doesn't say much about the actual penetration of unions in a given sector. It's a complex topic, but I explain it with the fact that the topic is pretty much uninteresting, unless it's a well-known brand is unionizing. Since most famous tech companies are American, there's enough mass of news there to actually push media outlets to cover news.

In Italy, where there are very few "well-known" IT companies, the topic is completely absent, to the point where IT union organizers from a city don't know about big wins by other IT unions organizers from another city. Nonetheless the narrative is not the thing, and there can be big impacts that become visible to the general public only after sociological studies.

So, long-story short, the fact you never heard about SITT doesn't say much about its effectiveness, just about their ability to communicate.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That is an interesting point, and I actually think I could help with this! I do very much like getting people with needs in touch with people with solutions!

Sincerely, thank you! I'm managing my expectations, but you sparked a bit of enthusiasm in me! Here's hoping I can help in some way.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Go for it. If you want to look for a very good example of union communication, look up "More Perfect Union". Very American, but it shows a way to bring union news to people in a cool way.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Resources, too, the whole kit and kaboodle! Again, really can't thank you enough!

On a side and completely personal note, I can't describe the big, fat smile I'd wear on my face if I could call myself a Union rep:))

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

if it happens, or simply if you get more involved into Romanian unions, reach out to me. I organize events to connect tech workers organizing interionationally, so we might do something.

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[–] [email protected] 59 points 1 week ago

Meanwhile Accenture has 1400:1 CEO-to-worker pay ratio.

[+] [email protected] -13 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Software Engineers should get royalties for their code like actors do. I'd be retired already.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 week ago (1 children)

most cursed take of the day. This is a terrible system that turns workers in self-entrepreneurs, where most struggle and a few get a lot of money.

[+] [email protected] -10 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

nah. as a dev myself, if any of my foss projects gave me anything but grief I would be ahead.

I'll gladly take royalties over needy upper management and demanding PMs. not to mention the absolute donkeys that are the customers.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

“As a dev myself…”

“Users of my code = donkeys”

Logically, where the fuck does this end other than you sucking your own dick? Just write code for yourself and shut up.

Keep in kind I’m using logic to ask a dev…

Why WOULD ANYONE need to hear your opinion if you think EVERYONE else is a donkey?

[+] [email protected] -9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

heeehawee heeeehaawwww!

luckily for you, I'm fluent in jackass.

what's it matter to you what my opinion is?

[–] [email protected] -2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Who did you quote? What’s the aweehaaa shit? Are you fluent in jackass or just a native idiot and trying to justify your stupidity?

Either way it’s cool. We see you from a mile a way. Real code gets used from folks that are better than you. Reality is that you don’t get along with humans so they don’t want to want to get along with you. So the world works different. Get a clue.

We know what it’s like to work with you. You are obvious and we are fluent in reading you.

I’ll give you up to ten years to figure out how toxic you are. Hee haw all you like…

Keep your opinion to yourself while you try to work with OTHER people.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Who did you copy? What’s the aweehaaa shit?

is that not what you said? my mistake.

We know what it’s like to work with you. You are obvious we are fluent in reading you.

well damn son, I had no idea we were besties!

I’ll give you up to ten years to figure out how toxic you are. Hee haw all you like…

but...I don't need ten years.

Keep your opinion to yourself while you try to work with OTHER people.

I mean, those in glass houses should probably not throw stones.

My original comment compared to the absolute emotional clusterfuck of whatever you are going through right now is saintly.

don't mind me, I'm just going to sit back and watch the donkey show you're putting on for me 🤣.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

> Who did you copy? What’s the aweehaaa shit? is that *not* what you said? my mistake.

As someone else said you have offered the “most cursed take of the day”

Keep on like my reply is the “donkey show”… whatever that is supposed to mean… you’re giving us the show.

You replied to someone else, while you called my response a “donkey show”… all while spewing more dumb shit. Keep up.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Screenshot_20241229-160436_Firefox

keep these golden comments coming bro! I believe you have the stamina to go all day!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Again you aren’t responding to anything and making stuff up. The aweeehaaa stuff you quoted is nonsense you made up and took from the aether. You have no sense to your argument and your only substance is a picture of a donkey. Thats your strength?

Do I need to quote your pic of a donkey to make my point? You are not coming off as competent at all…

[–] [email protected] -3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

if you had anything worthwhile for me to actually answer I would have answered it.

e5a2a45a662e95da1b931b15f2ebfff5-2928015140

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 days ago (11 children)

I'm sure your senior devs just love working with someone as patient and understanding as you.

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