Google responds with changes after 20,000 say "#Timesup" in Tech
MOUNTAIN VIEW (BCN)
After thousands of Google employees last week went out of their offices to protest against sexual harassment at work, the Mountain View Company has announced that it will make several changes to strengthen abuse reporting system.
Over 20,000 protesters demanded that the company improve the reporting process, ensure equal treatment of all demographics and posts, create a transparency report on sexual assault, and end the arbitration award, which requires employees to renounce their right to sue.
Google leaders reacted today with a report addressing any of these requirements, namely making arbitration optional, creating sexual abuse and annual training for sexual harassment policies.
Members of the walkout say that the overall changes are a testament to collective action, but do little to cope with the dreadful inequality between full time and contract workers, resulting in a "modern Jim Crow class system" and different playing fields for minorities.
1[ads1]. In November, employees had proposed that the company establish a representative of the employee on the board and allow the Chief Diversity Manager to respond directly to the CEO.
"We demand a truly fair culture, and Google's leadership can achieve this by putting a representative on the board and giving full rights and protection to contract workers, our most vulnerable workers, many of whom are black and brown women," organizer Stephanie Parker said in a statement.
Organizers stressed Google can not address sexual harassment without addressing systemic inequality and racism, which limits access to power and resources.
"The process in which we build a truly fair culture must be based on the voice of black women, immigrants and colors – those who often pay the most in response to these cutting-edge issues," Organizer Demma Rodriguez said in a statement.
Several women appeared on Thursday with stories of harassment and abuse at the company's headquarters in Mountain View, describing a lack of empathy from overall open sexism and being forced out of their departments while their abusers remain.
"We acknowledge that we have not always got everything right before and we are frankly sorry for it. It is clear that we have to make some changes," says CEO Sundar Pichai in a statement today.
"We hear often from Googlers that the best part of working here is other googlers. Even in difficult times, we are encouraged by our colleagues' commitment to creating a better workplace, "he said.
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