zlacker

>>blago+(OP)
Tech companies in general and Amazon specifically seem scared to death of unionization. I think Amazon's actions in this matter are going to backfire tremendously.

>>ipsoca+qv
...and anyone who's had to work with a union can understand why.

>>koheri+mJ
Having worked with unions, is it because they tend to have better benefits and support for their employees? Having a union rep in their disciplinary activities?

I assume your comment is that Amazon would lose money if a union happened?

>>Pfhrea+EM
Having worked with unions, it is because they introduce and entirely new and superfluous bureaucratic hierarchy to a company.

I have had situations where it was not allowed to move a computer monitor from one cube to another - that had to be done by a union employee. Literally taking a unused spare monitor from one desk, and putting it on another employees desk where it was need. ...and there was a formal requisition process to get that done which took two weeks to get through approvals, assignment, and finally have it done.

I have had union workers walk off the job during a major system outage because their facility managers forced them to take their break time. The whole company was down - it was all-hands-on-deck outage due to Hurricane Sandy. The actual union workers wanted to help us get the systems back online for the company, but the union rep wouldn't let them work.

I have had great workers quit or refuse jobs with our company because they knew and loathed the union - not the company, but the UNION.

I don't have any problem with unions at companies that protect the SAFETY of workers, as they are needed in various industrial jobs. ...but at a TECH companies where workers are making six figures, have matched 401k plans, and safe and comfortable desk jobs? ...it just screams "ridiculous" to me.

>>koheri+mo1
You can use asterisks around a word for emphasis, it reads less like you are yelling.

Some reasons to have unions at tech companies:

IP restrictions, unpaid oncall/overtime, crunch, getting a larger cut of the wealth they produce, better parental/health/timeoff benefits, having a representative in disciplinary hearings, requiring clear salary and performance processes, and about a half dozen other ideas.

You can disagree that these are real concerns at tech companies, but they are not ridiculous.