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Google cuts team of contractors who went on strike (www.theverge.com)

submitted 8 months ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Google cuts team of contractors who went on strike::Google previously said the team of YouTube Music contractors were not employees since they were hired by Cognizant.

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[–] IllNess@infosec.pub 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The team of more than 40 went on strike in February last year, demanding changes to Google’s return-to-work policy.

Can they prove they are needed if they weren't needed for over a year?

“Contracts with our suppliers across the country routinely end on their natural expiry date.”

Google or Alphabet (or whoever) probably gave Cognizant a contract with an expiration date for YouTube Music. After a year of being on strike, the contract expired. Does that still count as firing?

Filling offices is a priority to companies. That priority is important enough to Google to not give the right to work remotely to these employees.

[–] NotAtWork@startrek.website 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

The team of more than 40 went on strike in February last year, demanding changes to Google’s return-to-work policy.

If Google's return to work policy affects them, then they were probably employees misclassified as a contractor.

Facts that provide evidence of the degree of control and independence fall into three categories:

-Behavioral: Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does his or her job?

-Financial: Are the business aspects of the worker’s job controlled by the payer? (these include things like how worker is paid, whether expenses are reimbursed, who provides tools/supplies, etc.)

-Type of relationship: Are there written contracts or employee type benefits (that is, pension plan, insurance, vacation pay, etc.)? Will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the business?

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/independent-contractor-self-employed-or-employee

[–] IllNess@infosec.pub 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Thanks for the link and info. So I tried to find something dealing with hiring agencies at irs.gov using site:irs.gov but couldn't find anything. For financials, shouldn't that fall under Cognizant since they are the ones paying the workers?

Cognizant chief communications officer Jeff DeMarrais said in an email to The Verge that the team will be given seven weeks of pay and opportunities to find another role within Cognizant.

It seems like they are employees of Cognizant instead doing YouTube Music work.

[–] NotAtWork@startrek.website 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The NRLB ruled that they were partial Google employees last march. https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/3/23624631/alphabet-cognizant-joint-employers-youtube-music-workers-union

[–] IllNess@infosec.pub 1 points 8 months ago

Thank you for the info.

I really wish these articles were more specific to what the job titles of these employees are.

https://www.nlrb.gov/case/16-RC-305751

INCLUDED: All full-time and regular part-time Senior Process Executive-Data/Music Generalist (SPEs) and Project/Process Specialists/Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) employees employed by the Employers in YouTube Music Content Operations who are employed to work from the Employer’s (Cognizant Technology Solutions U.S. Corporation) facility at 717 E. Parmer Lane in Austin, Texas. Eligible to vote are those in the unit who were employed during the payroll period immediately preceding the issuance of this Decision.

EXCLUDED: Team Leads, temporary employees, seasonal employees, managerial employees, professional employees, confidential employees, guards and supervisors as defined in the Act.

If their contracts have a set expiration like what Google claims then, as temporary or season employees, they are excluded from being part of the Alphabet Workers Union-Communications Workers of America.