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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/nov/01/google-walkout-global-protests-employees-sexual-harassment-scandals
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| Google walkout: global protests over sexual harassment scandals | Google walkout: global protests over sexual harassment scandals |
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| Thousands of Google staff are staging a walkout in protest at the company’s lenient treatment of executives accused of sexual misconduct. | Thousands of Google staff are staging a walkout in protest at the company’s lenient treatment of executives accused of sexual misconduct. |
| Demonstrations at the company’s offices around the world began at 11.10am in Tokyo and are due to take place at the same time in other time zones. An image from the Singapore office showed at least 100 staff protesting. | Demonstrations at the company’s offices around the world began at 11.10am in Tokyo and are due to take place at the same time in other time zones. An image from the Singapore office showed at least 100 staff protesting. |
| First #GoogleWalkout photo coming straight from our office in Singapore where it's 11/1 just after 12p! pic.twitter.com/Ctv3xLE0aH | First #GoogleWalkout photo coming straight from our office in Singapore where it's 11/1 just after 12p! pic.twitter.com/Ctv3xLE0aH |
| More appeared on the streets outside Google’s Swiss office in Zurich. | More appeared on the streets outside Google’s Swiss office in Zurich. |
| The #googlewalkout in Zurich has impressive numbers! @googlewalkout pic.twitter.com/bgLHDLYfez | The #googlewalkout in Zurich has impressive numbers! @googlewalkout pic.twitter.com/bgLHDLYfez |
| Later, Google staff walked out of the company’s offices in London and Dublin. | |
| Google London, thanks for joining the #GoogleWalkout pic.twitter.com/SRMcq8Y0Lh | |
| Google employees in Dublin starting their walkout in protest at the recent revelations about the treatment of women in the company. pic.twitter.com/E2FRV5hYtQ | |
| Employees are being urged to leave a flyer at their desk which reads: “I’m not at my desk because I’m walking out in solidarity with other Googlers and contractors to protest [against] sexual harassment, misconduct, lack of transparency, and a workplace culture that’s not working for everyone.” | Employees are being urged to leave a flyer at their desk which reads: “I’m not at my desk because I’m walking out in solidarity with other Googlers and contractors to protest [against] sexual harassment, misconduct, lack of transparency, and a workplace culture that’s not working for everyone.” |
| The Walkout for Real Change protest comes a week after it emerged that Google gave a $90m (£70m) severance package to Andy Rubin, the creator of the Android mobile phone software, but concealed details of a sexual misconduct allegation that triggered his departure. Rubin has denied the allegations. | The Walkout for Real Change protest comes a week after it emerged that Google gave a $90m (£70m) severance package to Andy Rubin, the creator of the Android mobile phone software, but concealed details of a sexual misconduct allegation that triggered his departure. Rubin has denied the allegations. |
| Last Thursday, the chief executive, Sundar Pichai, said Google had taken a “hard line” over sexual misconduct allegations, revealing that 48 people, including 13 senior managers, had been fired in the past two years. However, these cases were not mentioned in the company’s latest earnings figures. | Last Thursday, the chief executive, Sundar Pichai, said Google had taken a “hard line” over sexual misconduct allegations, revealing that 48 people, including 13 senior managers, had been fired in the past two years. However, these cases were not mentioned in the company’s latest earnings figures. |
| Campaigners have posted a list of five demands, including an end to pay and opportunity inequality as well as greater transparency about sexual harassment. | Campaigners have posted a list of five demands, including an end to pay and opportunity inequality as well as greater transparency about sexual harassment. |
| We, Google employees and contractors, will walkout on November 1 at 11:10am to demand these five real changes. #googlewalkout pic.twitter.com/amgTxK3IYw | We, Google employees and contractors, will walkout on November 1 at 11:10am to demand these five real changes. #googlewalkout pic.twitter.com/amgTxK3IYw |
| The New York Times, which broke the Rubin story, also reported allegations of sexual misconduct against a number of other Google executives. These included Richard DeVaul, a director at the Google-affiliated lab that created far-flung projects such as self-driving cars and internet-beaming balloons. | The New York Times, which broke the Rubin story, also reported allegations of sexual misconduct against a number of other Google executives. These included Richard DeVaul, a director at the Google-affiliated lab that created far-flung projects such as self-driving cars and internet-beaming balloons. |
| DeVaul had remained at the X lab after allegations surfaced about him a few years ago. He resigned on Tuesday without a severance package. | DeVaul had remained at the X lab after allegations surfaced about him a few years ago. He resigned on Tuesday without a severance package. |
| Pichai apologised for the company’s “past actions” in an email sent to employees this week. “I understand the anger and disappointment that many of you feel,” it said. “I feel it as well, and I am fully committed to making progress on an issue that has persisted for far too long in our society. and, yes, here at Google, too.” | Pichai apologised for the company’s “past actions” in an email sent to employees this week. “I understand the anger and disappointment that many of you feel,” it said. “I feel it as well, and I am fully committed to making progress on an issue that has persisted for far too long in our society. and, yes, here at Google, too.” |
| The email did not mention the reported incidents involving Rubin, DeVaul or anyone else, but Pichai did not dispute the veracity of the New York Times story. | The email did not mention the reported incidents involving Rubin, DeVaul or anyone else, but Pichai did not dispute the veracity of the New York Times story. |
| Thursday’s protest will be a test of how effectively Pichai has managed to placate staff anger over the issue. Google and its parent company, Alphabet, employ 94,000 people worldwide. | Thursday’s protest will be a test of how effectively Pichai has managed to placate staff anger over the issue. Google and its parent company, Alphabet, employ 94,000 people worldwide. |
| Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, the UK union for technology workers, backed the protest. | |
| He said: “The events in Google highlight the frustration many workers feel about their lack of voice in how many tech companies are run. We need a zero tolerance for harassment and greater transparency over terms and conditions for staff.” | |
| Jackie Speier, a Silicon Valley congresswoman, tweeted her support of the walkout using the #MeToo hashtag, which has become a battle cry for women fighting sexual misconduct. | Jackie Speier, a Silicon Valley congresswoman, tweeted her support of the walkout using the #MeToo hashtag, which has become a battle cry for women fighting sexual misconduct. |
| I stand w/hundreds of #Google engineers planning the women’s walkout in protest of the $90M exit package gifted to Andy Rubin after Google found allegations of his sexual misconduct to be credible. Why do they think it’s OK to reward perpetrators & further violate victims? #MeToo | I stand w/hundreds of #Google engineers planning the women’s walkout in protest of the $90M exit package gifted to Andy Rubin after Google found allegations of his sexual misconduct to be credible. Why do they think it’s OK to reward perpetrators & further violate victims? #MeToo |
| Speier represents an affluent district where many Google employees live, the Associated Press reported. | Speier represents an affluent district where many Google employees live, the Associated Press reported. |
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