All articles tagged with #employee protest
EA is facing opposition from US politicians concerned about national security and privacy risks related to a $55 billion buyout by Saudi-backed private equity firms, and from EA employees protesting the deal, which they argue is unnecessary given EA's profitability and could threaten jobs and creative freedom.
Over 500 Amazon Web Services employees have petitioned against the company's new five-day in-office work mandate, set to begin in January, arguing it undermines flexibility and could harm Amazon's future. The employees' letter criticizes the policy as outdated and potentially damaging to those needing remote work flexibility, such as caregivers and those with disabilities. Despite employee protests, AWS CEO Matt Garman supports the mandate, suggesting those unhappy with it can seek employment elsewhere.
The Wall Street Journal laid off at least five more employees, affecting the U.S. news and "speed and trending" teams, with notable reporters Erin Ailworth and Ben Kesling among those let go. Despite the layoffs, WSJ's editor-in-chief Emma Tucker highlighted over three dozen open positions in the newsroom. The lack of a clear business rationale for the cutbacks has led to employee unrest and a planned lunchtime walkout in protest.
Employees at a Dollar General store in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, walked out over concerns about pay, work hours, the company's donation policy, and their treatment. They left signs on the store's doors and windows explaining their reasons and stating "We quit!" The store reopened after three hours, and Dollar General stated its commitment to providing a valued and heard work environment. The walkout was reportedly triggered by a disagreement over the store's donation policy, with former manager Trina Tribolet stating that employees quit after being told to stop donating items to community members.
A Google engineer was fired after protesting a presentation by the head of Google Israel, citing refusal to build technology supporting genocide, apartheid, or surveillance. The protest was against Project Nimbus, a cloud-computing contract between Google, Amazon, and Israel's government, with concerns raised about its potential military support. This incident follows the ousting of the YouTube music team and recent calls for CEO Sundar Pichai's resignation amid AI innovation failures and a $2.3 billion lawsuit filed against Google.
"Coffee badging" is a new trend where employees return to the office for a short period of time, just enough to have a cup of coffee, show their face, and swipe their badge before going home to do the rest of their work. This trend has emerged as a form of protest against companies mandating a return to the office post-pandemic. A study found that 58% of hybrid workers are engaging in coffee badging. Employers are advised to research and address this trend by implementing flex hours, encouraging socialization among employees, and promoting open communication to improve work-life balance and prevent employee dissatisfaction.
"Coffee badging" is a new trend where employees return to the office for a short period, just enough to have a cup of coffee and swipe their badge, before going home to do the rest of their work. This trend has emerged as a form of protest against companies mandating a return to the office post-pandemic. A study found that over half of hybrid workers are engaging in coffee badging. While some managers have also participated, it can be seen as disrespectful or insubordinate to business leaders. To address this, companies can implement flex hours, encourage socialization among employees, and promote open communication to improve work-life balance and reduce burnout. Widespread coffee badging can undermine organizational culture and collaboration, so companies are adopting hybrid schedules to provide flexibility while reducing unpredictability.
Top investors are pushing for the reinstatement of Sam Altman as CEO of OpenAI, as many employees threaten to quit if he is not restored to power. OpenAI's future is uncertain, and rival companies are reaching out to disgruntled employees.
A worker's TikTok video protesting the denial of a raise has gone viral, garnering 2.7 million views. The video shows the employee leaving work promptly at 5pm, the end of their shift, as a form of protest. Many viewers supported the worker's actions, expressing their own frustrations with being undervalued at work. A survey revealed that 48% of employees feel undervalued, which can lead to higher turnover rates and financial losses for businesses.
Amazon employees in Seattle staged a walkout to protest the company's changes to its climate policy, layoffs, and return-to-office mandate. More than 1,900 employees had pledged to protest globally, according to the organizers, an activist group known as Amazon Employees for Climate Justice (AECJ). The company recently eliminated a goal to make all Amazon shipments net zero for carbon emissions by 2030, though it still has a broader pledge on climate for a decade later. Amazon also announced some 27,000 role cuts in recent months, or 9% of its corporate workforce, and a return-to-office mandate by May 1 caused confusion for some staff.