Unionization Efforts Already Underway

At Alphabet, Inc., meanwhile, employees Parul Koul and Chewy Shaw wrote an op-ed in the New York Times stating that “. . . 226 of us have signed union cards with the Communications Workers of America — the first step in winning a recognized bargaining unit under U.S. law. In other words, we are forming a union.”

Koul and Shaw are the Executive Chair and Vice Chair of the Alphabet Workers Union, respectively. In their opinion, leadership at Alphabet, Inc. has failed to do enough to address diversity and inclusion, has retaliated against workers who reported sexual harassment, and does not provide contractors and temp workers with enough pay and benefits. They seek to improve on all these issues through unionization. However, the union does not have collective bargaining rights since it did not go through the NLRB, and 226 workers in a company the size of Alphabet is unlikely to bring a significant amount of pressure on one of the most influential companies in the world.

Most Tech Workers Not In a Union

While there may be an increased number of unions in the next few years, by no means is the industry likely to change in a short time. Outside of a relative few instances, most tech workers are not in a union. And the NLRB itself will remain in Republican hands until at least 2022, and perhaps longer, depending on how the political appointments play out. The upshot is that while unionization movements appear to be gaining momentum, the industry is unlikely to change dramatically in 2021. But pro-labor movements in tech are likely to make inroads over the coming year.

You Don’t Have To Solve This on Your Own – Get a Lawyer’s Help

Civil Rights

Block on Trump’s Asylum Ban Upheld by Supreme Court

Criminal

Judges Can Release Secret Grand Jury Records

Politicians Can’t Block Voters on Facebook, Court Rules