When we organize, we win!
We helped datacenter workers win back a bonus that was promised to them by Modis, a company that contracts with Google. In October, Modis announced that they were cancelling a $200 per week attendance incentive bonus that was promised to datacenter workers in September and was supposed to run through December. Workers had stopped receiving the attendance bonus without any explanation at the beginning of October.
Datacenter workers are the backbone of Google. They have continued working in person throughout the global pandemic. Modis workers, including AWU members, reached out to AWU staff and leadership and immediately began to organize. Within just 2 days, Modis announced that they would be reinstating the bonuses, along with back pay.
Read more about this story in how Google Temps Fought Loss of Pandemic Bonus. And Won.
As a transgender man, Phares Lee had to live with his deadname on his name badge while working at Google for the past three years. He asked repeatedly for this to change through all the proper channels. It never changed, and his deadname remained on his badge until he took collective action with AWU-CWA. He has now been issued a new name badge with his chosen name on it, and been told that he can participate in ERGs just like a full-time employee can. His individual issues are now being fixed, which sets a precedent for others with similar issues. But, our work together isn’t done. We need to ensure that what happened to Phares never again happens to any other worker.
Read about our continued efforts to fix the broken system.
We helped Google BOLD interns convince the company to give them a $5,000 stipend for housing and other needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read about how Google interns fought for more cash—and won!
On January 27th, 2021, Shannon Wait made the following Facebook post:
“My employer told us who do heavy lifting and manual labor that if we lose our bottle of water or cap that they will not be replacing it DURING A PANDEMIC but you can’t take extra breaks to go get water so just stay thirsty and be glad you have a job.”
Earlier during the pandemic, she and other data center workers were promised bonus pay, but when she asked about that bonus, she was told by a manager via email that “It is never ok to discuss compensation with your peers”.
Watch Shannon share her story:
After asking members of Alphabet Workers Union to help her file an unfair labor practice against Google and Modis, a settlement was reached, which includes Shannon’s suspension being overturned and Google posting a document in her data center that states, “You have the right to discuss wage rates, bonuses, and working conditions”.
Shannon knew her rights. If you’re a data center worker and want to learn more about your rights as a worker, let us know!