While Google has been facing its share of employee dissentOpens a new window lately, its latest employee mobilization isn’t political: Last week, Google contractors in Pittsburgh said that a majority had agreed to unionizeOpens a new window for better working conditions and benefits.
In a particularly interesting twist, the contractors are looking to unionize with United Steelworkers, one of the most powerful syndicates in the United States.
The contractors claim their working conditions are significantly worse than those offered regular Google employees. They work for HCL, a company with 90 employees. According to a release from the Pittsburgh Association of Tech ProfessionalsOpens a new window , more than 60% of HCL’s employees supported the pursuit of union formation.
It added that HCL’s employees, “work side-by-side with those of the giant corporation for far less compensation and few, if any, of the perks.â€
And, let’s face it, Google is known for its perksOpens a new window .
Coupled with the recent political protests from employees, the unionization represents a strong signal that even the largest and most well-established tech companies could face mounting internal battles over how to encourage employee productivity and safety while also meeting shareholder demands for a robust bottom line.
At the same time, the tech industry continues to play a surprising role in upending some of the most established business practices and shareholders have been no exception to the rule. Google’s parent company Alphabet, for example, has come under pressure from shareholdersOpens a new window to break the company up over monopolization — and potentially eventual regulation — concerns.
But that’s a story for another day.
Unions aren’t necessarily a bad thing, but if you can avoid them by making employees — and contractors — feel heard, you’ll attain a high level of loyalty. In a competitive hiring market such as tech, that’s an especially good thing.
When faced with unionization, here are some good steps to take:
Seek alternatives
The first thing to do when faced with potential unionization is try to establish dialogue with employees and find a forum where grievances can be outlined. As with any kind of employee frustration, the first step is always to make sure people feel like they’re being heard. That doesn’t mean endless email chains. It’s got to be real.
Make a good faith effort
HCL’s employees in Pittsburgh want some of the perks of being a Google employee — after all, they’re doing work for Google. It’s not an outlandish demand and one that Google could probably meet at least in part.
By establishing alternative forums for negotiation (see above), you can try to determine if there are compromises that can be made. One of Google’s famous perks, for example, is free food at work. That’s a benefit that can probably be extended to contractors without too much outlay.
Most important is to make contractors feel like they’re part of the team. If possible, make design adjustments in the office, and ensure there are regular visits from company reps. If people feel like they’re on the team, they’re more willing to make sacrifices to reach goals.
Be transparent
If employees or contractors are making demands that extend beyond your company’s capabilities at any given moment, be clear about why. A new product launch is coming up? If you bring more people on payroll, you might be forced to curtail an expansion into a new market?
Whatever it is, be upfront about the conflict. You may well save yourself serious headaches down the line.