Post AQ8lomLEMRVsALkav2 by Niloufar@hci.social
 (DIR) More posts by Niloufar@hci.social
 (DIR) Post #AQ8lohDFQh9mG8yeHY by Niloufar@hci.social
       2022-11-30T19:37:21Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       For the last session of our intro to HCI class this semester, we invited a former graduate student worker organizer and current tech work organizer to host a teach-in. Sharing some lessons from the conversation here. Students were incredibly engaged. The session was optional, but more showed up than usually come to class.
       
 (DIR) Post #AQ8loi58CMG4xGBgGm by Niloufar@hci.social
       2022-11-30T20:11:26Z
       
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       There is a shift in labor dynamics in the country. While a lot of people associate unions with blue-collar work, knowledge work has been changing too. What we're seeing in the graduate student worker strike is both a product of their work conditions and also the kind of economy that they are entering into. A lot of these students will be graduating into contract labor.
       
 (DIR) Post #AQ8loj0YkqCBpN3Xma by Niloufar@hci.social
       2022-11-30T20:14:17Z
       
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       Within tech companies, employees often receive large salaries, but contract workers have to submit a time sheet, aren't allowed to use the gym, and are kept out of other benefits. Our guest speaker encourages students to read @maryLgray 's Ghost Work and believes that the next wave of labor protections has to focus on contract work.
       
 (DIR) Post #AQ8lokRtOheaIQqt1c by Niloufar@hci.social
       2022-11-30T20:19:51Z
       
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       Our guest speaker described her own experience of being a graduate student worker organizer at a UC and graduating into a high-paying tech job. She described being paid more than she could have imagined, but being really burnt out. The high salary and burn out leads to a feeling of guilt. The 1984 book "silicon valley fever" was brought up: remaining nonunion is essential for survival from most of our companies. If we had the work rules of union companies, we would all go out of business.
       
 (DIR) Post #AQ8lolVpRYOdavhXnc by Niloufar@hci.social
       2022-11-30T20:24:22Z
       
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       A lot of activism currently happening in tech companies centers identity groups, targeting issues such as pay disparity, and disability protections. Companies have ERG groups that receive funding and do activities such as bring in guest speakers. A lot of people believe that these groups are monitored by the company. They also contribute to a "bring your whole self to work" ethos which can be harmful to organizing as well as peoples' mental health.
       
 (DIR) Post #AQ8lomLEMRVsALkav2 by Niloufar@hci.social
       2022-11-30T20:26:21Z
       
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       ERG groups can also sometimes place the burden of creating an inclusive environment on people who are willing to out themselves in their workplace and you have to do extra work. Our guest speaker described an incident where a colleague had posted to the disability ERG asking for advice on making their current project accessible. This led to people in the group being very upset as they were asked to do extra labor for someone who was not a member of the group, and who had not done the work.