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At 11 a.m. today local time, hundreds Google employees worldwide will stage a walkout over revelations in a New York Times article detailing hush-hush, non-transparent treatment of executives accused of sexual harassment — taking specific aim at the company’s binding arbitration agreement that prevents employees from suing over harassment, discrimination and even racism.
Reportedly, the company paid out $90 million to Android developer Andy Rubin after it found credible sexual harassment claims against him. Rubin denies both the claims and the extent of the payout.
“While Google has championed the language of diversity and inclusion, substantive actions to address systemic racism, increase equity, and stop sexual harassment have been few and far between,” an employee statement reads. “ENOUGH. Reassuring PR won’t cut it: we need transparency, accountability, and structural change.”
The group is demanding employee representation on the Board of Directors.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai says he supports the walkout but claims, in a memo to employees, that the company has terminated 48 employees, including 15 senior executives, over the past two years for sexual harassment without doling out exit packages. The protest group claims there are “thousands” of more incidents that go unreported and unpunished.
Diversity is another issue the protesters are pinpointing. According to CNBC.com: “Overall, nearly 70 percent of Google employees are male and 53 percent are white, according to the company’s latest diversity statistics. In leadership roles, the numbers are even starker: 67 percent are white and 75 percent are male.”
The protesting employees include contract workers. As a group, they are making five demands: An end to pay and opportunity inequality; an end for “forced arbitration”; a public and transparent sexual harassment report; a clear and transparent policy regarding sexual harassment cases; and elevate the chief diversity officer to report directly to the CEO and board.