New Google Union Already Facing Crisis As Google Takes Extreme Action Over Robinhood Controversy
Google deleted 100,000 negative Robinhood reviews.
Google has been busy deleting negative reviews for the Robinhood app, almost a 100,000 of them. The stock trading app has been condemned by many because it stopped purchases of GameStop’s stock. Gizmodo reported that before Google stepped in the Robinhood app plummeted from a 4 star rating on the Google Play Store to only one star.
Meanwhile Google’s new workers union is in dismay.
People were furious with Robinhood for blocking purchases of GameStop, AMC, and other stocks which have soared recently because of a campaign conducted by the r/WallStreetBets subreddit. The absurd rise in GameStop stock value by thousands of percent led to Congressional inquiries into stock manipulations. The controversy over what has happened has caused many to call into question the very integrity of the entire system of investments on Wall Street.
Since Google took action the rating for the Robinhood app went back up to almost five stars.
As for the Alphabet Workers Union, which only just launched earlier this month, it is already facing a crisis of confidence among its members. The Verge has reported that they are not happy with its new international alliance called Alpha Global.
The Alphabet Workers Union formed saying that it will be open to anyone with even a peripheral employment connection to the company, including vendors. The new union only represents those people who choose to join it. This means that Alphabet Workers Union will be able to include anyone who works for Google, even if they are only part time workers or independent contractors.
It also promised to not just fight for workers’ benefits, but also to take a stand against any policies and actions made by Google which its members feel are not in keeping with their values while promising the membership greater democracy and transparency.
But now members are bothered about the decision to form Alpha Global without consulting with them first. The new alliance includes 13 different unions in 10 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Switzerland.
However, the union sees a need in internationalizing since Google/Alphabet is a worldwide company. Parul Koul, executive chair of the Alphabet Workers Union and a Google software engineer, said in a statement that this is why, “it is so important to unite with workers in other countries. In a world where inequality is tearing apart, our societies and corporations are hoarding more influence than ever, reclaiming our power through our unions has never been more important.”
But the decision was not revealed directly to the union’s membership.
