• fubo@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    82
    ·
    1 year ago

    A Google spokesperson told Motherboard in a statement at the time of the unionization that it had “no objection to these Cognizant workers electing to form a union,” but that it would not bargain with them. “We are not a joint employer as we simply do not control their employment terms or working conditions—this matter is between the workers and their employer, Cognizant,” the spokesperson said.

    NLRB seems to disagree. This will be an interesting case, I suspect …

    • plz1@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      76
      ·
      1 year ago

      So Google, like Amazon, is trying to play the “they work for a subcontractor that only supports us, so it’s their fault, not ours” card. I really want to see the NLRB smack this pattern down hard and set an example for all the other companies to try to avoid unionization by way of not directly hiring people.

      • CheezyWeezle@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        37
        ·
        1 year ago

        NLRB changed their criteria for what is considered co-employment last month, widely broadening the definitions used to determine this status. Essentially, if a company has significant control (not just exclusive control) over any of a worker’s employment status or conditions, then they are considered a co-employer now. It used to be that a company needed exclusive or overriding control over another company’s employees to be considered a co-employer.

        I’m certain we are going to see more lawsuits and legal challenges from employees because of this. I’m pretty certain there already are lawsuits from some other Google contractors over this exact thing; they are providing a case that Google is their co-employer due to the control they have over every aspect of their work.

        • plz1@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          14
          ·
          1 year ago

          That’s excellent news, especially for the employees of Amazon subcontractors handling warehouse and delivery operations.

    • gibmiser@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      34
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      1 year ago

      Megacorps can get fucked. Pay your employees well or deal with the consequences.

    • Aux@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Google will simply find a different contractor company. Problem solved.

  • negativeyoda@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    59
    arrow-down
    5
    ·
    1 year ago

    I’m very much pro-union, but meanwhile artists and creators who made that content in the first place are getting fucked by everyone

    • Eldritch@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      18
      ·
      1 year ago

      Artists, techies, and socialists need to come together. To build a platform focused on sustainability ultimately. Devoid of profit for the sake of profit. And more focused on meeting the needs of their members. No overpriced CEO or board of directors. Or layers of redundant management. Once the service costs are covered. Anything after that could be split somewhat proportionally within strict limits.

        • Eldritch@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          A lot of the basic pieces are in place. Torrenting/peer tube for distribution. Modern day royalty free codecs. Realistically the two biggest hurdles are how to monetize responsibly, and bringing people in. It’s something that in one shape or form will always require some small donation of time and resources. And it’s easier to convince someone to join a Ponzi scheme telling them you will make them wealthy. Than it is to get someone to join guaranteeing that you’ll never make them wealthy but you will try to make them secure in their lives.

    • foggy@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      This is a good thread and good comment to throw this up on:

      https://youtu.be/PJSTFzhs1O4?si=3SalhKn7wN6dgUpP

      Benn Jordan, perhaps better known as “The Flashbulb” as an EDM artist, has an excellent YouTube channel. This video dives into some details on how we could get artists paid, and stop getting our art jerked around by corporations. For less than we pay to not get free healthcare healthcare, you could have access to all copyright content, ad free, and artists would be better compensated.

      It’s an idea worth spreading.

  • ilex@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    51
    ·
    1 year ago

    The article became increasingly redundant as it continued. The crux seems to be Google isn’t their employer. These workers work for a subcontractor, Cognizant. Cognizant performs services for YouTube Music.

    Cognizant is refusing to bargain citing the ongoing relevant litigation* between its employees and Google.

    • I’m not sure what the legal process is called for union claims.

    Some of the employees are striking for 1 day.

    • Aurix@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      One idea of subcontractors is to split and delegate societal responsibility to others to appear to be clean. Surely the law is focused on Cognizant here, but the responsibility lies fully on Google, including their ability to intervene.

    • ShortFuse@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      15
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      6 family members for $15 a month and no YouTube ads. Also that money was basically paid for by Google Rewards. The Web App is good too. I don’t have to deal with CEF/Electron or any install really.

      • Kethal@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        1 year ago

        The Web site says $24 for 5 members. Is it different per location? How do you pay less?

        • ShortFuse@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          Yeah, sorry that was bumped up recently though I was grandfathered for a long while. But that was the impetus for getting it back when it was just GPM.

          It’s 6 actually (1+ 5 other members). My uncle basically paid for half of it.

          It’s $22.99 for me now which includes YouTube Premium. Just YouTube Music (for 6) is $16.99. Individual $10.99 and Student $5.49.

    • WarlordSdocy@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      1 year ago

      I don’t use YouTube Music but I love using YouTube for my music. Tons of songs on there that just aren’t on either YouTube music or other services like Spotify.

    • rhsJack@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Totally. I was already in the ecosystem so it was only natural I go to Music when it was available. Is it better than Spotify? Shrug. Just different.

      • ilex@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Spotify has invested significant $$ in upgrading their platform.

        YTM lets you access user-uploaded content. With that comes more in the way of remixes and Indy artists. The platform itself is pretty dogshit, though.

    • Dawn@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      1 year ago

      For me, every other music app is missing alot of the songs I want to listen to (Cover songs, and remixes are the big 2) and they are only available on yt music.

      • ilex@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        Soundcloud might be an alternative worth looking into. For the music I tend to search for, I find I’m more likely to find it on Soundcloud, and it can take years to migrate from SC to YTM.

        While YTM and SC were both $10, putting up with the worse platform was a reasonable price for no YT ads. Now that the grandfathering is ending and the price is jumping to $14, for US folks, I’m feeling the pressure to migrate.

      • salton@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Hah look at Mr. Money Bags over here, I had to pay $1.11 last month for YT Premium.

    • Companion1666@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      YouTube Premium is so cheap, man. ₱159 (close to $3) per month. I gave up and exported my Spotify data for YouTube.

    • Fisch@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      A lot of FOSS music streaming apps (like ViMusic) use YT Music because you can access it for free. Doesn’t make them any tho.

    • dylanTheDeveloper@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Ever since Google destroyed Google Music i switched to Spotifly because at the time YouTube music couldn’t tell the difference between memes and music plus alot of my playlist was unavailable

    • Oaksey@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      1 year ago

      YTM: you have a vague hint of network reception, just wait for me to fail loading what I want to load before I consider letting you play your downloaded music.

  • Willard Herman@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    34
    arrow-down
    7
    ·
    1 year ago

    Time to stop using Gmail and YouTube. I had already avoided go░gle search for months now.

    Over the last three or four months I had deleted all my FaceBook, Twitter, Reddit, Instagram accounts. And this made me want to avoid go░gle search.

        • samus12345@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          4
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          Funny how the term “tinfoil” persists even though it hasn’t been used in over 70 years.

            • samus12345@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              1 year ago

              “Aluminum” at least has 1 less syllable. But I usually just say “foil.” What else would I be talking about in that context?

              • Cosmic Cleric@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                3
                arrow-down
                1
                ·
                edit-2
                1 year ago

                “Aluminum” at least has 1 less syllable. But I usually just say “foil.” What else would I be talking about in that context?

                a·lu·mi·num

                tin·foil

                (Sorry for the ‘ackshully’, but couldn’t resist.)

        • space@lemmy.dbzer0.com
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          Nooo. Those might be tampered. They could be bugged. Or they could have holes in them. Or the tin might be fake. Make your own.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      1 year ago

      DuckDuckGo is fine for some things, but if you want to do a search with a specific phrase in quotes, it doesn’t recognize it. I hate having to go back to Google for some searches, but sometimes it’s just better. I wish it wasn’t, but it is.

      DuckDuckGo’s image search also leaves a lot to be desired.

      • dangblingus@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        You don’t need to do the quote thing in DDG. You can literally just search the quote, and maybe the domain it was hosted on. You will find what you’re looking for. DDG even has business profile widgets like google search does. I don’t even miss google search at all.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          I don’t think you understand what I’m talking about. I’m talking about a search phrase that is partially in quotes for an exact match and partially not for an inexact match. Google handles that, DDG does not.

    • dangblingus@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Start your own email server!! Download all of your favorite channels! Sub to your fav youtubers patreons! If you need music, use Spotify until you amass a collection of digital/physical music! Use FireFox! Google does not need to have any grip on our digital lifestyles.

  • Shadywack@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    16
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    1 year ago

    I get the technicality of all this, but this could be a watershed moment. Businesses like to contract people out to move liability and cut corners in their obligations to the workers. The bottom line is that its cheaper and easier to fire whatever contractors you don’t like for any reason, and artificially push their salaries/wages down.

    Look at Fedex Ground, Amazon drivers, etc. Google is now firmly in the role of the bad guy here, with Sundar Pichai making 220+ million dollars with much of it on the backs of layoffs and ethnically bankrupt business practices. I honestly think the ramifications of this in a positive way for the workers is tantamount to the formation of the UAW itself with their sitting strikes. They sat at the machines and forcibly halted production.

    That needs to happen here, and all you scabs, fuck you. You can just piss off.

  • greavous@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    15
    arrow-down
    5
    ·
    1 year ago

    I can’t believe I’m saying it but but I’m with Google here. They are sub-cons so negotiation would surely go through their employer who is cognizant. I’m a sub-contractor, I’m not gonna go to the client and ask for a raise, I’m gonna go to my employer. Maybe it’s different in different regions but if I asked the client for a raise in the uk they would probably just laugh at me.

    • ilikekeyboards@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Outsourcing in Europe is heavily scrutinised and regulated due to companies kept choosing to depend on third party agencies do they don’t have to do with strikes and unions.

    • Hazdaz@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      You are 100% correct, so it is especially funny seeing that almost 1/4 of the people downvoted you for no good reason. Holy fuck this site has a huge percentage of utterly clueless Lemmings.

  • expatriado@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    10
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    1 year ago

    could they put bring the dislike count back on the demands? and make so video posters can’t delete comments, so we can call bullshit when needed? that would be nice

    • BigDaddySlim@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      9
      ·
      1 year ago

      No they have bigger priorities, like retroactively demonitizing and removing videos that used to be just fine under the new ruse of “making everything more kid friendly” when we all know it’s to make it more advertiser friendly

      • Brudder Aaron@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        1 year ago

        If only there were an app… suited for kids that google could use… One that would give them the limitations and safety they want from people and not ruin the whole site while still chasing those kid viewers.

        If only such a thing existed.

  • chakan2@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    21
    arrow-down
    18
    ·
    1 year ago

    Yea, no…the headline is wrong on this one. These guys are contractors. Google will just nuke Cognizant’s contract and call it a day.

    Those guys aren’t particularly good in my experience and are just warm bodies to do things that should be automated anyway.

    Google will simply go to another big contract firm and call it a day.

    • dana@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      17
      ·
      1 year ago

      The NLRB ruled that the nature of their work makes them employees of both Cognizant and Google, despite whatever those companies try to classify them as, and that both are required to negotiate with the union. Google is now just flat-out refusing to respect that decision.

    • A7thStone@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      arrow-down
      11
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      I’m so glad bootlickers like you enjoy the taste of shoe leather. It makes the working class so much more unified.