Microsoft workers demand it drop $480 million U.S. Army contract

[Cray]

Nothing wrong with asking, but taking it to a public platform like Twitter would be a no no...

End of the day Microsoft has public shareholders that might not know about this... And they have public customers who support the company that might not want to support them given certain behaviors that they find distasteful, surely information about who a public company deals with is better out in the open than kept under wraps?

 

[jack_spratt]

MS has developed software for all MIL/Intel divisions for years. Why moan now?

Something to do with Pres Trump I reckon...

 

[ToxicBunny]

End of the day Microsoft has public shareholders that might not know about this... And they have public customers who support the company that might not want to support them given certain behaviors that they find distasteful, surely information about who a public company deals with is better out in the open than kept under wraps?

Given that there were press releases relating to this prior to these employees getting all snowflakey, that doesn't hold water.

 

[Cray]

Given that there were press releases relating to this prior to these employees getting all snowflakey, that doesn't hold water.

And how many share holders would have scrutinized those press releases, how many customers, they are just generating more publicity around it? Microsoft and the buying public are now more aware of the issue, Microsoft n either change their policy, continue as they had planned and/or fire those involved in the protest - still not sure how that equates to trying to force a company to do anything...

 

[ToxicBunny]

And how many share holders would have scrutinized those press releases, how many customers, they are just generating more publicity around it? Microsoft and the buying public are now more aware of the issue, Microsoft n either change their policy, continue as they had planned and/or fire those involved in the protest - still not sure how that equates to trying to force a company to do anything...

I'm not suggesting its trying to force the company to do anything... but as an employee, taking to a public platform to voice disapproval with your employers actions is just not smart, its all the ammo a company would really need to make your life difficult or to fire you depending on local labour laws.

 

[Cray]

I'm not suggesting its trying to force the company to do anything... but as an employee, taking to a public platform to voice disapproval with your employers actions is just not smart, its all the ammo a company would really need to make your life difficult or to fire you depending on local labour laws.

That I can agree with, but some in this thread have advocated resigning or being quiet, surely if there is an intention to resign anyway you might as well make some noise about it before being shown the door.

 

[ToxicBunny]

That I can agree with, but some in this thread have advocated resigning or being quiet, surely if there is an intention to resign anyway you might as well make some noise about it before being shown the door.

Quite possibly yes, but depending on where one works (location) that could also be career limiting in this day and age with Social Media profiling at companies...

 

[Cray]

Quite possibly yes, but depending on where one works (location) that could also be career limiting in this day and age with Social Media profiling at companies...

Indeed, I can't imagine it would endear them to their next prospective employer.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Indeed, I can't imagine it would endear them to their next prospective employer.

Yeah... especially if you end up going to Google or Facebook... who have their own issues with employees being problems... they definitely won't welcome other problem employees into the fold.

 

[Eniigma]

Why not? If you really like you job surely it makes more sense to pressure a company to act a certain way even if the chances of success are negligible, sure they could get fired for their efforts but isn't it better to fight for what you believe in rather than meekly resign?

Why is it conservatives are all about free speech but as soon as it comes to highlighting how companies with loads of money may earn said money you lot are all about "STFU or leave". Chances are this won't go anywhere and the people will either resign or stay and live with it but why are you so upset that this kind of thing got brought into the public eye?

You are missing the point. I don't think it is a free speech issue. What irks me about it is entitlement mentallity of the people behind the letter. If they don't like it, by all means take it up with management or even send a letter to the CEO, even a group letter, that's fine.

When it crosses the line is when they demand stuff.

We demand that Microsoft:

1) Cancel the IVAS contract;

2) Cease developing any and all weapons technologies, and draft a public-facing acceptable use policy clarifying this commitment;

3) Appoint an independent, external ethics review board with the power to enforce and publicly validate compliance with its acceptable use policy.

from the full letter.
Not only are they demanding that the company throws away a $500 (close enough) contract, but my appoint comittees and outside people to rule on how the company is run. (How is that any different from NUMSA saying how Eskom must be run?)

Also many if not all of these employees would have signed non-disclosure contracts before starting to work there, but now because a shareholder might not know about it, it's ok to violate that NDA?

I don't (rightly or wrongly) look at these things in isolation. These workers,a dozen or so, are feeling so entitled that they think they can demand what a company does because they don't like it. A few months ago there was a similar thing with Google developing for the Pentagon and they caved and abandoned it after worker outcry. Now days it seems everyone is so busy white knighting and vitue signaling thinking it some how makes them more meaningful and important and contributing to the betterment of society when all it really is just that, signaling.

 

[Cray]

You are missing the point. I don't think it is a free speech issue. What irks me about it is entitlement mentallity of the people behind the letter. If they don't like it, by all means take it up with management or even send a letter to the CEO, even a group letter, that's fine.

When it crosses the line is when they demand stuff.
from the full letter

Fair enough, am not a fan of that language either ("demand" reminds me of our trade unions...)

 

[Join]

Since when does an employee tell a company what to do in a modern, civilized and first world country? Fire the lot of them and replace them with competent and willing staff to do their work without holding the company at ransom.

Its the Socialist way