tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26188652110452948372024-03-04T21:11:25.940-08:00Temporary Workers of AmericaTemporary Workers of America is a start up union devoted to defend and promote the interests of workers classified as 'temporary', a mis/classification that is used to deprive them of the most basic benefits.
Contact via email: temporaryworkersofamerica@gmail.comtemporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-25070681465283633922016-08-21T12:25:00.001-07:002016-08-23T12:48:17.470-07:00Microsoft Temp gain first contract.<span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">In the Sunday August 20 edition of the Seattle Times, this article by Matt Day: </span><a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/at-microsoft-contractor-union-win-is-a-mixed-result/?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=mobile-app&utm_campaign=ios" style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Microsoft temps gain first contract</a><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">. Not mentioned, </span><a href="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/ptom/2016/08/the-other-microsoft-second-edition-soon-available.html" style="font-size: 18.6667px;" target="_blank">the second edition of The Other Microsoft </a><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">that details the process. On Monday, Nat Levy posts on Geekwire.com:</span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.geekwire.com/2016/microsoft-contractor-signs-first-union-contract/" href="http://www.geekwire.com/2016/microsoft-contractor-signs-first-union-contract/">Temp workers at Microsoft supplier sign first contract amid layoffs</a>.</span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-37041971535203208252016-04-04T20:30:00.000-07:002016-04-05T08:52:17.412-07:00Martin Luther King Was Assassinated On This Day, April 4, in 1968—While Fighting For Unions<span style="font-size: 14pt;">See<a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/19018/martin-luther-king-unions-labor-poor-peoples-campaign-assassination-memphis"> this article in In These Times</a>.</span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-87848699786957133582016-04-03T19:40:00.001-07:002016-04-03T19:44:19.035-07:00A look at paid parental leave<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The site Early Childhood Education Degrees asked us to share </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="http://www.early-childhood-education-degrees.com/paid-parental-leave/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">this info-graphics about paid parental leave</span></a></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> with our readers. It enumerates the many reasons why paid parental leave is so important. That's why we are determined to have shareholders mobilized to require companies (like Microsoft and all its suppliers) provide paid parental leave to all their employees. Contact us if you are a Microsoft shareholder and you want to support our initiative.</span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-30963127572842885852016-04-03T07:23:00.000-07:002016-04-03T07:23:35.443-07:00Unfair implementation of Microsoft's paid time off requirement? Reaching out to Microsoft integrity Hotline.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Colleagues working along us via a different supplier told us they would only be able to accrue PTO six months from now, that is in October. We think this is a violation of the requirement and an attempt to deny those employees PTO that should start accruing right now. It's already shocking that all those suppliers waited until the very last moment to implement this requirement, they should not add insult to the injury by trying to abusively postpone even more this implementation. We have sent a complaint (see below) to <a href="https://www.tnwgrc.com/">Microsoft's Business Conduct and Compliance Team</a> but 5 days later we have not received their answer yet (if ever). We have kept mentioning (for now) the name of this supplier. We'll keep you posted. The link to <a href="https://www.tnwgrc.com/">Microsoft's Integrity Hotline</a>: https://www.tnwgrc.com</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Dear Business Conduct and Compliance Team,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I am concerned that our colleagues working for the Microsoft App Certification Lab via the supplier XXXX are being shortchanged as far as the implementation of the PTO requirement is concerned.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">From what I have heard they been told (nothing written) that they would be able to start accruing some PTO in six months, in October 2016.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">If that is the case, I think XXXX is in breach of Microsoft requirement that should start to be implemented at the latest on April 1s as the deadline announced by Brad Smith on March 26 2015 was one year.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I am not sure our colleagues know about you nor would dare complain but I do because if what they say is true they are treated unfairly and they would be deprived of 6 months of PTO they should start accruing right away.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Thank you for your concern,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Philippe Boucher</span></div>
temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-57933499296389775852016-03-27T07:10:00.000-07:002016-04-03T07:11:24.120-07:00Microsoft and temps in ... 1997<span style="font-size: 14pt;">From the <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/1997/dec/07/business/fi-61429">Los Angeles Times of December 9, 1997</a>, this article by Leslie Helm. Are things that different today?</span><br />
temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-20739038314194510622016-03-27T07:04:00.000-07:002016-04-03T07:05:54.558-07:00How Experis/Manpower implements Microsoft's PTO requirement<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Read below how Experis (Manpower) is going to start implementing on April 1st 2016 the Microsoft's requirement that was announced on March 26, 2015. Notice that the accruing will also only start at this date: you worked years for Experis, that will not count for anything. As for the public holidays Experis used to pay? They are now gone. You'll have to satisfy yourself with the 15 days of PTO. As for Manpower: "In 2015, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the fifth consecutive year and one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies, confirming our position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry. See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work humanly possible: www.manpowergroup.com": Most ethical, most admired, most trusted... indeed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Subject: Experis Benefits update beginning April 1, 2016. Please read.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Hello,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Experis has enriched your benefits plan for 2016 to become effective April 1, 2016. These changes were announced by the Experis Corporate benefits team via email to your personal account on Wednesday, March 16, 2016. Please be sure to review that message for full details and any action items.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">What does this mean for you? Some changes, of course.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Effective April 1, 2016 you become eligible to accrue 15 days of PTO (paid time off) when working a full year. The time accrued can be used as you need: personal/vacation time, sick days, weather and client/Experis closures (holidays or other.) We are also reducing the premiums for health benefits and offering a mid-year add event if you wish to add Experis Health benefits. The new PTO accrual rate is 10 hours each month, updated on the final day of the month. I have attached a document with the instructions for using PTO and the new health premium information for your review. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>See the FAQ below to clarify the program.</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: When is the new plan effective?</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: April 1, 2016.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: How many total days of PTO will accrue?</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: 15 PTO days will accrue in a year.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: What is the monthly accrual amount?</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: 10 hours per month, posted on the last day of the month.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: When can I use PTO? </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: PTO can be used for time off work, related to being sick, taking personal time/vacation and client holiday or other closures. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: How do I use PTO? </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: Consultants enter the non-billable hours for PTO into their Peoplesoft timesheets using the PTB code. (See attached Word doc for instructions.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: What happens to holiday pay?</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: Experis Holiday pay will <u>not</u> automatically be paid out moving forward. You may use accrued PTO if you wish to be paid for client holiday closures. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: Was I paid for the New Year holiday? </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: Yes, you were automatically paid the New Year holiday if you were active at that time. New Year’s was the last Experis holiday to be paid automatically for our Microsoft consultants.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: Am I allowed to use PTO before I accrue it (go into a negative balance?)</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: No, you are to use the available PTO balance already accrued in your monthly bank.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: Can I carry over my accrual balance from year to year?</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: Yes</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: Is there a maximum amount where PTO will stop accruing? </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: Yes. Monthly accruals will stop once the <u>120 hour</u> maximum is reached. You will not accrue any more PTO until the bank is reduced from 120 hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: Will unused PTO amounts be paid out at the time of termination?</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: Yes, any remaining balance in your PTO bank will be paid out at the time of termination.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Q: My end date is scheduled mid- month. Do I still get the full 10 hour monthly accrual? </strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A: No, but you will get a pro-rated PTO credit. Same answer for any new hires in a month....</span><br />
temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-39133104730940412362016-02-23T08:33:00.000-08:002016-02-24T08:34:22.219-08:00Melinda Gates expresses (once again) her support for paid parental leave: will it translate into a change of policy to require Microsoft's suppliers to provide paid parental leave?In the <a href="https://www.gatesnotes.com/2016-Annual-Letter?WT.mc_id=02_22_2016_00_AL2016_GL-GN_&WT.tsrc=GLGN">2016 Gates Foundation annual letter </a>co-written by Bill and Melissa she states: "studies show that when fathers are able to take time off from paid work when their children are born, they spend more time with their kids and doing other kinds of housework for years to come. As a result, they form a stronger bond with their partners and children. <span style="background-color: yellow;">That’s one reason why I think access to paid family and medical leave is so important for families</span>."<br />
It's too bad that despite Melissa's concern, a concern we assume is shared by Bill, Microsoft has done nothing (yet?) to make sure its suppliers provide paid parental leave to their employees. Last year Brad Smith announced an 'at least 15 days of paid time off policy". This is an improvement from not one day but <span style="background-color: yellow;">this policy does not take into account the needs of new parents as there is no provision for paid parental leave!!! </span>Bill could do the right thing and convince Microsoft to require a paid parental leave policy for their suppliers employees. Another improvement in terms of paid family leave would be to require the suppliers to offer the same paid public holidays leave as Microsoft does. That would bring 12 additional paid days to the people working for Microsoft who need it the most (as they are usually much less paid). That would be practicing what they preachtemporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-49321004908591869312016-01-28T18:17:00.001-08:002016-01-28T18:17:59.732-08:00Comparing paid parental leave at Microsoft and Lionbridge: 20 weeks vs zero or 140 days vs zero<span style="font-size: 15pt;"> <a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bfbc053ef01b8d1983fa9970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Screen shot 2016-01-23 at 4.51.55 PM" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8341bfbc053ef01b8d1983fa9970c img-responsive" src="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bfbc053ef01b8d1983fa9970c-500wi" title="Screen shot 2016-01-23 at 4.51.55 PM" /></a><br />Watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bDdaO6AINo">this video produced by the Department of Labor</a> that compares the paid maternity leave in the US and in Germany. Then replace the US by Lionbridge and Germany by Microsoft. In fact the difference is even greater between Lionbridge and Microsoft <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2015/08/05/the-employee-experience-at-microsoft-aligning-benefits-to-our-culture/">since Microsoft increased its paid maternity leave to 20 weeks</a> (12 weeks for the fathers) while Lionbridge stayed where it was: at 0 day. How long can Microsoft tolerates such a shameful gap that is contrary to its proclaimed commitment to human rights?</span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-26435282423232207922016-01-18T14:55:00.001-08:002016-01-18T14:57:35.563-08:002016 Martin Luther King Jr. Day @ Microsoft: Help end paid leave discrimination<span style="font-size: large;">2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Day @ Microsoft: <span style="background-color: yellow;">Help end paid leave discrimination</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">For 29 years Microsoft did not celebrate <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr._Day">MLK .JR Day</a> as a paid holiday. Then <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2015/08/05/the-employee-experience-at-microsoft-aligning-benefits-to-our-culture/">on August 5 2015</a>, Kathleen Hogan, Executive Vice President, Human Resources announced Microsoft was adding MLK Day to its list of paid holidays. That would allow the employees to '<em>take time to recharge and invest in ways that are meaningful to them</em>'. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: large;">I am part of a small group of so called temporary workers who have been working for years for Microsoft (via a supplier). In September 2014, we decided to unionize (a rarity in the high tech industry) to protest the fact that our supplier did not provide us with any paid leave, arguing we were not 'full time regular employees' despite our continuous full time years of service in the same Microsoft lab. Our demands found some support among Microsoft's leadership and on <a href="http://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2015/03/26/paid-time-off-matters-ensuring-minimum-standards-for-the-people-at-our-suppliers/">March 26 2015</a>, Brad Smith announced that Microsoft would start requiring that its suppliers provide 'at least 15 days of paid time off per year' to their employees. This was widely reported in the media as a great and generous gesture on Microsoft's part: CEO <a href="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/ptom/2015/04/satya-nadella-endorses-paid-leave-at-the-white-house-event-champions-of-change.html">Satya Nadella was invited at the White House</a> as a champion of change and I had my second of glory with sizable articles in the<a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/microsoft-to-require-vendors-give-contract-workers-benefits/"> Seattle Times</a>, the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/from-the-ranks-of-microsofts-permatemps/2015/03/27/64f5c922-cb5d-11e4-8c54-ffb5ba6f2f69_story.html">Washington Post</a> and a few others. Unfortunately the 'at least 15 days of PTO' decision, as I noticed as soon as it was announced, does not include any specific paid leave for new parents and does not provide for any paid public holidays. Those are extremely significant gaps that maintain an unacceptable inequality between people working full time for Microsoft. They are also contrary to the terms of the <a href="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CESCR.aspx">International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights</a>, especially articles 7 (d) that deals with paid public holidays and article 10.2 that states: "<em>Special protection should be accorded to mothers during a reasonable period before and after childbirth. During such period working mothers should be accorded paid leave or leave with adequate social security benefits." </em>50 years later, as this Convention was adopted in 1966, these benefits are still not required by Microsoft for all its suppliers. Although this Convention was never ratified by the US Senate, <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/1nCfAdxbkNefx7WhK7qVNwMGZvd61tzgL58fINsbXKvHfRG2sQknL85INaSyx/edit?pli=1">Microsoft voluntarily committed itself</a> to implement all its content when they joined the UN Global Compact in 2006. That's ten years ago. What is preventing Microsoft to require its suppliers to provide now all their employees with the 10 paid public holidays Microsoft has selected and at least 4 weeks of paid parental leave (his own employees are given 12 weeks). It cannot be a lack of money, neither on Microsoft's part nor on the supplier's part. As President of Temporary Workers of America, I am presently the only voice talking publicly and repeatedly for the thousands of workers who are <a href="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/ptom/2015/12/how-much-did-microsoft-and-lionbridge-savedtook-from-their-employees-by-not-providing-paid-leave-nor.html">deprived each year of thousands of dollars</a> they badly need by Microsoft and its suppliers. On this 2016 MLK Day I want to invite individuals and institutions, that own Microsoft's stock, to join our protest and ask Microsoft to respect its pledge to implement the labor rights that are part of the 1966 International Covenant. Microsoft's shareholders can <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/investor/CorporateGovernance/BoardOfDirectors/contact_board.aspx#a_1">contact Microsoft's Directors</a> by emailing them at: AskBoard@microsoft.com. If you do that, please cc to us at temporaryworkersofamerica@gmail.com. Our intention is to organize and run a corporate social responsibility campaign until Microsoft makes the decision to respect the basic civil rights of their thousands of employees working for them via suppliers. Thank you in advance to those of you who join us in this effort and thank you for all the families that will benefit if we succeed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Philippe Boucher</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">President, <a href="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/ptom/" target="_blank">Temporary Workers of America</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/THE-OTHER-MICROSOFT-Philippe-Boucher-ebook/dp/B00OF8G8WW" target="_blank">The Other Microsoft</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">PS: In my little book The Other Microsoft, I refer (pages 40, 41) to King's famous '<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/04/martin-luther-kings-letter-from-birmingham-jail/274668/">Letter from a Birmingham jail'</a> of April 16, 1963. I invite you to read or reread it because it resonates so much with how I feel we are presently mistreated by Microsoft. I recently learned about '<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/02/all-labor-has-dignity-martin-luther-king-jrs-fight-for-economic-justice/71423/">All labor has dignity: King's Speeches on labor</a>': when Dr.King was assassinated he was planning a march in support of sanitation workers and their union, protesting how they were discriminated compared to their white co-workers. Why would they go home unpaid if their workday was canceled because of the snow while their white counterparts got paid? Why is Microsoft finally giving MLK Day as a paid holiday only to half of its workforce? Why is Microsoft ignoring the total absence of paid parental leave for half its workforce?</span></div>
temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-88395735600989941532016-01-04T07:13:00.004-08:002016-01-04T07:13:41.860-08:00Microsoft's Temporary Workers 3 wishes for 2016<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">There are thousands of people employed by Microsoft via vendors (Microsoft has not divulged the exact number). Many of them are classified as 'temporary' although their initial contract can be extended for years. Vendors use the temporary (mis)classification as a way to deny basic benefits like any sort of paid leave. On </span><a href="http://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2015/03/26/paid-time-off-matters-ensuring-minimum-standards-for-the-people-at-our-suppliers/" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">March 26 2015,</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"> Microsoft announced it cared for the health and wellness of those workers and would therefore, within the next nine months, require vendors to provide them with 'at least 15 days of paid time off per year'. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How has this policy change be implemented, how many vendors and employees are concerned, how do they feel about it, are questions that remain unanswered. <a name='more'></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our first wish for 2016 is for Microsoft to organize an anonymous and detailed survey of all it's vendor's employees to collect the data to evaluate the work experience including the new paid time off requirement and share them with the public.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We have done <a href="http://lionbridgeunion.blogspot.com/2016/01/20-question-survey-about-working_4.html#more" style="color: #1155cc;">such a survey</a> within our small lab (40 people) and the results we got are the basis of our second and third wishes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As it is structured, the '<i>at least 15 days of paid time off</i>' requirement does not set aside any extra time for paid parental leave. New parents remain deprived of any support during the period when they welcome a child. Respondents to our survey clearly indicated employees (like 80% of the respondents of the <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-who-can-get-ahead-in-the-u-s/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">CBS nationwide survey</a>) are in favor of requiring the employer to provide significant (at least 4 weeks) paid parental leave. That's our second wish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2015/08/05/the-employee-experience-at-microsoft-aligning-benefits-to-our-culture/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">August 5, 2015</a>, Microsoft announced it was extending the paid parental leave it offers its own full time employees to 12 weeks. Leaving new parents who work for Microsoft via a vendor without any paid parental leave is contributing to the huge inequalities Microsoft said it was concerned about when they decided their new policy. It is a gap that should be corrected in 2016, as soon as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On August 5, Microsoft also announced it was increasing by two days its paid public holidays benefit. In 2016, Microsoft full time employees will enjoy 10 paid public holidays, the first new addition being Martin Luther King Day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our third wish, expressed as well in our small survey is for all of Microsoft's vendors employees to enjoy in 2016 a paid Martin Luther King holiday and the other 9 paid public holidays on Microsoft's list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In 2006, <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/1nCfAdxbkNefx7WhK7qVNwMGZvd61tzgL58fINsbXKvHfRG2sQknL85INaSyx/edit?pli=1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Microsoft signed to the UN Global Compact,</a> a voluntary initiative by multinational companies to implement the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and several other international conventions, including the <a href="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CESCR.aspx" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights</a> of 1966. Article 7 (d) states as a right for the employees: '<i>Rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay, as well as remuneration for public holidays</i>'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our third wish is consistent with Microsoft public statements to implement their commitment to this International Covenant. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Is that too much to wish for when this covenant was adopted 50 years ago? As for Martin Luther King Day it was designated as a paid public holiday in 1986, 30 years ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Philippe Boucher</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">President, <a href="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/ptom/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Temporary Workers of America</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/THE-OTHER-MICROSOFT-Philippe-Boucher-ebook/dp/B00OF8G8WW" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">The Other Microsoft</a>.</span></div>
temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-41014215151648487162015-12-22T17:55:00.000-08:002015-12-22T17:55:27.741-08:00Unpaid public holidays and no paid parental leave: Microsoft and Lionbridge are Scrooge like companies<span style="font-size: 15pt;"> <a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bfbc053ef01b7c7fdbe84970b-pi" style="float: left;"><img alt="Scrooge" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8341bfbc053ef01b7c7fdbe84970b img-responsive" src="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bfbc053ef01b7c7fdbe84970b-320wi" style="margin: 0px 5px 5px 0px;" title="Scrooge" /></a>In December 2012, Henry Blodget wrote a post in Business Insider about<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/companies-need-to-share-more-profits-with-employees-2012-12"> the Scrooge Award he gave to Corporate America</a>. Three years later, as Xmas is coming, Microsoft and Lionbridge jointly deserve a<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebenezer_Scrooge"> Scrooge </a>Award for not providing paid public holidays to all their employees. As we are not paid during those public holidays we suffer a loss of income that takes a big part of the fun out of this period as we worry about how we are going to compensate for this $ loss. Could it be possible that Microsoft does not know its trusted Lionbridge supplier does not pay for public holidays? It is doubtful as Microsoft directly profits by not paying either for those public holidays. Yes, some suppliers are more human and do pay those days to their workers (like WIPRO does). As we noted in the previous post, Microsoft should require all its suppliers to provide paid public holidays as this is clearly mentioned in <a href="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CESCR.aspx">article 7 (d) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights</a>: <em>"Rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay, as well as <span style="background-color: yellow;">remuneration for public holidays </span>", </em>and Microsoft claims it is committed to implement this Convention. We'll keep denouncing this Scrooge-like behavior until it changes. Of course in these times of celebrating a nativity we'll add to our outrage the lack of any paid parental leave. The Universal Declaration of HumanRights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights also contain dispositions for pregnant moms. Article 25.2 of the UDHR states: "<em>Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance</em>". Article 10.2 of the Internal Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights states: </span>"<span style="font-size: 15pt;"><em><span style="background-color: yellow;">Special protection should be accorded to mothers during a reasonable period before and after childbirth. During such period working mothers should be accorded paid leave</span> or leave with adequate social security benefits." </em>50 years later, as this Convention was adopted in 1966, these benefits are still not required by Microsoft for all tis suppliers. Although this Convention was never ratified by the US Senate, Microsoft voluntarily committed itself to implement all its content (as far as it was relevant to its responsibilities as a multinational corporation) when they joined the UN Global Compact in ... 2006. 9 years later Microsoft is still not respecting its commitment to implement dispositions adopted 50 years ago and implemented routinely in most industrialized countries, including by Microsoft's subsidiaries operating in those countries. Lionbridge Technologies does not give a damn about the UN Global Compact but their subsidiaries in other countries also have to respect those dispositions. Only in the US...</span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-26113851830568856962015-12-11T16:48:00.002-08:002015-12-11T16:49:20.795-08:00How Microsoft does not implement its proclaimed commitment to respect all the human rights in the Universal Declaration and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> <a class="asset-img-link" href="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bfbc053ef01b7c7f8b755970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Interior_page_banner" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8341bfbc053ef01b7c7f8b755970b image-full img-responsive" src="http://blogsofbainbridge.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bfbc053ef01b7c7f8b755970b-800wi" title="Interior_page_banner" /></a><br />It's December 10 again<a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/humanrightsday/">, Human Rights Day </a>again and this year Microsoft is still in violation of<a href="http://business-humanrights.org/en/microsoft-0"> its commitment </a>stated as follows:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">"<em>Since endorsing the UN Global Compact in 2006, Microsoft has had a formal commitment to respecting all of the human rights enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; and ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.</em> "</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">This year's Human Rights Day is devoted to the launch of a year-long campaign for the <strong>50<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the two International Covenants on Human Rights</strong>: the <a href="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CESCR.aspx">International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights</a> and the <a href="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CCPR.aspx">International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights</a>, which were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 16 December 1966. Let us look at<a href="http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CESCR.aspx"> article 7 (d) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights</a>: <em>"Rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay, as well as<span style="background-color: yellow;"> remuneration for public holidays "</span></em></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"> It is clear that paid leave should include periodic vacation AND the payment of the public holidays. When they announced <a href="http://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2015/03/26/paid-time-off-matters-ensuring-minimum-standards-for-the-people-at-our-suppliers/">their new requirement of '<em>at least 15 days of paid time off</em>'</a>, Microsoft ignored the specific requirement by the UN texts that public holidays be paid, on top of the basic paid vacation. Requiring only 15 days of paid time off, without adding to this mandate the payment of the public holidays deprives full time supplier's employees of any payment when Microsoft closes its offices for <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2015/08/05/the-employee-experience-at-microsoft-aligning-benefits-to-our-culture/">ten public holidays</a> during the year.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">This distinction is clearly confirmed in the <a href="http://holidayswithpay.blogspot.com/2013/01/1970-holidays-with-pay-convention.html">1970 Convention on paid holidays</a>: see article 3.3 and article 6.1</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Ten unpaid public holidays represent millions of dollars that are not paid to thousands of Microsoft's suppliers employees, mostly employees that are paid the less. <span style="background-color: yellow;">How long will it take for Microsoft to respect its commitment?</span></span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-89182751137695776992015-12-01T16:41:00.003-08:002015-12-01T16:41:11.988-08:00Lionbridge attracts hedge fund billionaire Lee Cooperman<a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/techflash/2015/10/hedge-fund-investorleon-cooperman-takes-stake-in.html" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Cooperman's arrival</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> in Lionbridge capital ($23 million, a 7% stake) apparently brought changes in the financial management with the </span><a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/techflash/2015/11/longtime-lionbridge-cfo-steps-down-amid-other-big.html" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">departure of the CFO</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. Read the article in the Boston Business Journal of November 9. </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_G._Cooperman" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Cooperman</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> worked for years at Goldman Sachs then created his own hedge fund, Omega Advisers whose performance has </span><a href="http://pensionpulse.blogspot.com/2015/08/hedge-funds-take-beating.html" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">not been so great lately</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. He also accused President Obama of </span><a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/billionaire-leon-cooperman-sends-open-letter-president-obama-full-text-376832" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">promoting class warfare</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> in an open letter (November 28, 2011). While Lionbridge announced a $50 million share repurchase program, they could not find one cent to increase Tier1 pay, nor provide paid holidays or parental leave for people who have worked in the lab for years but are still misclassified as 'temporary' workers. As for the 15 days of PTO, they have constantly repeated it was only because Microsoft required it that they offered it. </span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-86909958096396604612015-11-21T17:07:00.002-08:002015-12-11T16:49:34.709-08:002015 Thanksgiving at Microsoft: the stinging bitterness of an unpaid holiday<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">I have been working full time as a tester/reviewer in the Windows App Certification Center since January 2012. Thanksgiving 2015 is coming. Microsoft gives two paid holidays to its ‘direct employees’ for Thanksgiving but we are employed via a supplier (Lionbridge Technologies) that does not offer any paid holiday.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">In my case, this lack of paid holidays has saved Microsoft and Lionbridge a total of more than $7K during the last four years. Meanwhile my co-workers and I keep struggling from paycheck to paycheck and many are going to choose to come to the office the day after Thanksgiving not to lose another payday. Of course this Friday will not be paid overtime, just the regular $17 to $22 per hour, the same unchanged rates than 4 years ago.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">On March 26 2015 Microsoft proudly announced ‘paid time off matters’ and required that its US suppliers provide ‘at least 15 days of paid time off’ to their employees. Eight months later, Lionbridge is finally going to comply: after 4 years of full time employment what do I get at the end of 2015? Less than two days, because Lionbridge does not take into account to calculate paid time off for 2015 any of the time worked before November 20 when they decided -at last- to start implementing Microsoft’s requirement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">In their 2015 annual corporate citizenship report released in October, Microsoft leaders congratulate themselves for ‘launching new policies to ensure that our US suppliers provide paid leave to their employees who handle our work’ while recognizing that ‘there is always more we can do and we welcome feedback from our many stakeholders around the world. We look forward to hearing from you’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">So while my 4<sup>th</sup> Thanksgiving as an unpaid holiday approaches, here is my feedback to Microsoft: revisit your paid leave requirement to your US suppliers to add the same ten paid public holidays you give to your own ‘direct’ employees.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">Consider also adding a decent paid parental leave as your present policy does nothing for new parents and their babies while you increased the number of paid parental leave you give to your ‘direct’ employees.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">Stingy paid holiday discrimination at Thanksgiving leaves a hole in our pocketbook and a pervasive and very unpleasant feeling of being discarded. It will pass. Come Christmas, New Year’s Eve and this stinging unpaid holiday bitterness will return. I hope that when comes the time to celebrate Martin Luther King’s Day, all Microsoft’s US suppliers will make it a paid holiday for all their employees. It would be fitting, and right.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">Maybe some readers will believe I am just an isolated whining wimp who needs to get a grip, get himself another job if he cannot be grateful for what the present one provides. Maybe there are forty thousands or more of so-called temporary workers employed by Microsoft’s suppliers in King County who share my experience and feelings without saying anything publicly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">As geeks love data it would be easy to find out: Microsoft organizes each year an ‘annual online anonymous poll of all employees to share feedback about Microsoft work experience’. Why not really ask all of us, not only Microsoft ‘direct’ employees how they feel about their experience working for Microsoft, their work-life balance (or lack of), how concretely the new policies impact them, what they wish for?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy Thanksgiving to all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: large;">Philippe Boucher<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-10280769083746457092015-11-12T18:06:00.002-08:002015-11-12T18:06:28.711-08:00Employees refuse Lionbridge Technologies minimal offer<span style="font-size: large;">25 Tier1s (on 40) voted. 20 voted NO and 5 voted YES.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There is a clear majority of Tier1s who refused Lionbridge minimal proposal. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This vote sends a message to Lionbridge and Microsoft. They have to offer better conditions: significant raises after 3 + years of full time work without any raise with a bottom rate at $17 per hour, better benefits like paid holidays, paid parental leave, immediate accruing of paid time off taking in consideration the time already spent: immediate 15 days of PTO for people who have worked full time for more than a year. Microsoft and Lionbridge financial results are such they can easily provide better compensation and benefits.</span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-75135351734909539962015-11-07T00:48:00.000-08:002015-11-07T15:10:03.763-08:00Lionbridge final tentative agreement: why we dislike it<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByTNCPGjXac8R2d4ZUY5N19qUnpWdW1WRVBuTlp4M3RMcVBV/view?usp=sharing"><b style="background-color: yellow;">Go here</b></a></span> <span style="font-size: large;">to see Lionbridge Tentative Final Agreement. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Why should Tier 1 employees dislike it to the point they could refuse to ratify it? Read below for our analysis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The only new benefit offered by this agreement is <span style="background-color: yellow;">a very narrow minded version of the 'at least 15 days of paid time off' required by Microsoft. </span>Why is it 'narrow minded'? For various reasons:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">First, if you have not been with Lionbridge for 9 months, you don't start accruing paid time off: there are about 10 Tier 1s in this situation: they will not accrue paid time off until they have been with Lionbridge for 9 months. That's not a pleasant perspective with the holidays season arriving.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">For the employees who have been with Lionbridge for 9 months, the accruing will only start at the ratification of the agreement: as the accruing is 1.25 day per month (15 days of PTO divided by 12 months = 1.25 day per month), you'll have accrued 2,5 days by the end of this year, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: large;">No consideration is given to the fact that you maybe have worked for Lionbridge for years.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Microsoft announced its requirement at the end of March, Lionbridge new contract with Microsoft was signed at the end of June and included this requirement: why not consider the accruing started as soon as July? That's 4 months and 5 days of PTO, right there. Of course, Lionbridge could have taken in consideration at least the past year you have worked for them but they did not so their offer is MINIMAL and RESTRICTIVE.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">THERE IS NO OTHER BENEFIT.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;">NO PAY INCREASE</span>. The union asked for pay increases for everybody and especially the people paid $17 per hour and a cost of living adjustment clause. Lionbridge refused saying it follows the market and the market agrees with the present rates (that have not changed for 4 years). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The agreement gives Lionbridge the right to increase pay according to their evaluation of our performance but if the past is any indication we were constantly told our performance was good but were never awarded any pay raise when we dared to ask for one. Why would this change except eventually for playing favorites?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: yellow;">The paid time off provision does not include anything specific for paid parental leave</span>: Lionbridge does not consider that new parents, new families deserve some paid parental/family leave on top of the 15 days of PTO that slowly accrue each month. In 2014, two Tier1s became new fathers: they got zero paid leave from Lionbridge at this occasion: that's the level of support new parents who have worked for Lionbridge for years receive.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Paid holidays are good for family time and to compensate for the fact that one cannot work those days. Many Microsoft's suppliers offer PAID TIME OFF & PAID HOLIDAYS. Microsoft recently increased its paid holidays benefits to its blue badge employees to 10 holidays + 2 'personal' days.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This agreement offers nothing as <span style="background-color: yellow;">Lionbridge refused the union's demand for paid holidays.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This constant refusal by Lionbridge to offer any pay increase and any additional benefit beyond the most restrictive 15 days of PTO explains the frustration of many Tier1 employees and why they <span style="background-color: yellow;">consider refusing to ratify this agreement despite their wish to obtain asap some PTO.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Another significant concern with this tentative agreement is the complete conquest of the grievance process by the arbitration system: according to the agreement, any grievance between an employee and Lionbridge would have to go to arbitration. The 'problem' is the complaining employee would have to pay for this arbitration: from $800 to $1500 or more! What employee making $17 to $22 per hour can afford such rates? None. End of the grievance process.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As you can see there are many very negative aspects to the present tentative agreement. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Think carefully about them when comes the time to vote YES or NO to ratify it.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">From the poll the union did with its members it looks like they are divided. Some are tired of the whole process and want to move on despite their many misgivings with the agreement. Some think it's better refusing to ratify the present agreement. We understand both sides. Fundamentally we think this is a very unfair deal considering the profits made by Lionbridge and Microsoft.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">One thing to remember for the people who would be inclined to blame the union for the present situation and results: without a union there would have been no 'at least 15 days of PTO'. It's easy to blame the union for not obtaining more from Lionbridge but the employer is never obliged to offer anything and the union's leverage is very limited. None of those who criticize ever offered to contribute to the 'negotiation', the many long, frustrating and unpaid hours volunteered to sit with a very rigid employer. In its announcement, Microsoft clearly refers to the complaints and demands we made (publicly and privately). </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We still think it's outrageous for wealthy high tech companies like Microsoft and Lionbridge not to provide more decent benefits to all the people who work for them. </span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-14534454778866826342015-11-01T17:31:00.003-08:002015-11-01T17:31:15.290-08:00Why we think arbitration is dangerous<span style="font-size: large;">Read this article in the </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/02/business/dealbook/in-arbitration-a-privatization-of-the-justice-system.html?&hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0" style="font-size: x-large;">November 1st edition of the New York Times</a><span style="font-size: large;">, titled "A privatization of the justice system".</span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-61579887857805726182015-10-28T18:06:00.003-07:002015-10-28T18:43:42.806-07:00Is Microsoft a joint employer? TWA files a charge with the National Labor Relations Board<div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Temporary Workers of America is a small independent union born on September 11, 2014 to represent 40 or so employees working for Microsoft via a supplier, Lionbridge Technologies. The union was created because of the accumulated frustration of years without any paid leave nor pay increase. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">On March 26, 2015 Microsoft announced it would require its suppliers to provide 'at least 15 days of paid time off' to their employees but nothing was set aside specifically for paid parental leave and no paid holidays were mentioned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">From the very start we thought the requirement was too weak and we were concerned about its implementation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">After a year of collective bargaining with Lionbridge Technologies the contract proposal they offer is very weak, only the minimum required by Microsoft, no retroactivity for accruing, still nothing for paid parental leave, no paid holidays and no pay increase.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">On Friday October 23, at the 9th collective bargaining session, the union agreed to send the contract proposed by Lionbridge for a ratification vote by all the employees: the date is not fixed yet but it should be soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">We have always considered this proposal is very bad but since it does include the very minimal implementation of the 15 days of pto required by Microsoft we feel the employees should decide if they want it that way or not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">On saturday October 17, the union had sent a letter and email to Kathleen Hogan, Executive Vice President, Human Resources for Microsoft, asking her to attend the collective bargaining session of October 23 as we considered Microsoft was a joint employer, in the context of the Brown Ferris decision.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">On Friday afternoon, one hour before the meeting we received an email from Microsoft's Chief Procurement Officer declining our invitation as they did not consider themselves a joint employer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">This Monday we polled our members (not all employees) with 4 questions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">1. Do you think Lionbridge proposal is a good proposal?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yes: 3 No: 7</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">2. Are you going to approve Lionbridge proposal?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yes: 6. No: 4</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">3. Do you think Microsoft is s joint employer with Lionbridge?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yes: 8. No: 2</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">4. Do you think TWA should ask the National Labor RelationsBoard to determine if MSFT is a joint employer?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Yes: 9. No: 1</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Therefore the union filed this afternoon, October 28, a charge with the NLRB against Microsoft as they refused to bargain as a joint employer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">There are many issues that remain uncertain about this procedure: we don't know if the tentative agreement proposed by Lionbridge will be ratified or refused. We don't know what could happen in either case in relation with the charge filed today.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">From the poll numbers you can see the people strongly feel Microsoft is a joint employer. There is a significant resentment about the way Lionbridge offers so little and how Microsoft offers so little while giving away millions to its CEO and increasing the paid leaves benefits of its own direct employees but letting Lionbridge offer zero paid parental leave, nor any paid holidays for our families.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A CBS poll mentioned 80 per cent of Americans are in favor of paid parental leave. It's hard not to recall that Satya Nadella thought women should not ask for a raise. Does he also think his suppliers employees should not have any parental leave?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">According to our estimates, providing paid parental leave to the two co-workers who became fathers at the end of 2014 would represent (for 4 weeks) about 10 cents more per hour and paid holidays about 80 cents more per hour. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">That represents probably less than one day of Satya's compensation for the 40 of us...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">We have had zero pay increase for the last 4 years (the pay ranges from $17 to $22 per hour).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">People are struggling, they are suffering. Where are the geeks with empathy celebrated by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wug9n5Atk8c">Bill and Melinda Gates</a> in their <a href="http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/june/gates-commencement-remarks-061514.html">June speech at Stanford</a>?</span></div>
temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-41318471606445260122015-10-23T19:09:00.000-07:002015-10-28T18:09:46.749-07:00Microsoft declines union's invitation to collective bargaining<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;">As reported by Matt Day in the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><a href="http://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/microsoft-declines-unions-invitation-to-bargaining-table/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_matt-day" target="_self">Seattle Times</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"> </span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-22758652786963868932015-10-23T17:24:00.000-07:002015-10-28T18:08:45.761-07:00Request for Microsoft to attend a collective bargaining meeting as a joint employer<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Find below the text of the letter/email we sent on October 17, to Kathleen Hogan, Microsoft Executive Vice President Human resources. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Temporary Workers of America</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">October 17, 2015</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">VIA EMAIL AND REGULAR MAIL</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Kathleen Hogan</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Executive Vice President, Human Resources</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Microsoft</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Redmond, WA 98052</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Re: Request for Microsoft to attend a collective bargaining meeting as a joint employer</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Dear Ms. Hogan,</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Our union, Temporary Workers of America (TWA), represents the 37 Tier1 employees provided by Lionbridge Technologies for Microsoft's app certification lab within the App & Catalog Operations (ACO), presently located in Bellevue, Buidling Advanta C.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">We have had collective bargaining sessions with Lionbridge Technologies since November 2014.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">After reviewing the </span><a href="https://www.nlrb.gov/news-outreach/news-story/board-issues-decision-browning-ferris-industries" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">NLRB decision of August 27, 2015 about Browning-Ferries Industries</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, we think that Microsoft can be considered a joint employer and should be part of the collective bargaining process, because of the significant control Microsoft has on our working conditions.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We therefore ask you to attend the next collective bargaining meeting that will take place on Friday, October 23, at 3.30 p.m. at </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">East Shore Unitarian Church</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">12700 SE 32nd Street</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">We are grateful that </span><a href="http://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2015/03/26/paid-time-off-matters-ensuring-minimum-standards-for-the-people-at-our-suppliers/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Microsoft decided on March 26, 2015 to require that its suppliers provide 'at least 15 days of paid time off' to their employees </span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">since Lionbridge Technologies would not have offered us anything without this requirement. See the initial contract proposal of February 27, 2015 on our blog: </span><a href="http://paidtimeoffmatters.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">http://paidtimeoffmatters.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Unfortunately there are two big gaps in this requirement:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">1. It leaves out parental leave without requiring any specific additional paid time off for new parents.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">2. It leaves out the 'legal holidays' that are very important moments for family time.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In his March 26, 2015 post, Brad Smith rightly mentions that some Microsoft suppliers already provide paid leave benefits and more than 15 days of PTO. We know, for instance, that WIPRO does provide paid parental leave and pays for the public holidays observed by Microsoft.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Unfortunately that's not Lionbridge Technologies policy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Lionbridge present proposal of September 21 (see our blog: </span><a href="http://paidtimeoffmatters.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">http://paidtimeoffmatters.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Article 7, page 7) is the arch-minimum of what Microsoft requires: 15 days that will start accruing monthly in a proportionate way (1.25 day per month), starting only when the collective bargaining contract is signed: there is no retroactivity, no taking account of any of the previous years. There is nothing set aside specifically for paid parental leave, no paid public holidays on top of the 15 PTO bucket.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">In his post Brad mentioned his concern for small companies that could find it more difficult to implement the new requirement. Lionbridge is not such a company. It is a very well established,</span><a href="http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/liox" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> NASDAQ listed corporation</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, that is </span><a href="http://www.lionbridge.com/q2-2015-results/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">boasting its increasing profits </span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">at </span><a href="http://www.lionbridge.com/lionbridge-reports-first-quarter-2015-results/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">each quarterly report </span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">while refusing all our demands.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">On August 5, while we were trying to come to terms with Lionbridge's approach, </span><a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2015/08/05/the-employee-experience-at-microsoft-aligning-benefits-to-our-culture/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">you announced an increase in the number of paid parental leave and two new paid public holidays</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">, for Microsoft's own 'direct' employees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">On August 21, Melinda Gates commented on this announcement </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melinda-gates/parental-leave-isnt-just-_b_8021718.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">in a post published on The Huffington Post</span></a><span style="font-size: 14pt;">: it "</span><em><span style="font-size: 14pt;">should put pressure on every company, in every industry, to design and implement similar policies, setting a new standard for family leave</span></em><span style="font-size: 14pt;">."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">We completely agree with Melinda.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Is improving the 'at least 15 days of paid time off' too costly a proposition for Lionbridge Technologies and/or Microsoft? </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Here are our estimates based on the present number of 37 Tier 1 employees and their present compensation, that has not changed for the last 3 years, ranging from $17 to $22 per hour.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">On average during the last 3 years, there were 2 or 3 families with new children among us, mostly new fathers. If we take the families concerned in 2014, providing them with four weeks of paid family leave would have cost $ 7.040, a cost increase per employee of ten cents per hour.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Providing 10 days of paid legal holidays to the 37 employees (at their present compensation) would cost $57.040 a year, a cost increase per employee of 80 cents per hour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Lionbridge Technologies refuses (as of today) to make this paid leave investment.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">What about Microsoft? Where does Microsoft stand? Are you willing to expand the minimum "at least 15 days" standard to provide family leave to supplier employees working for you?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">At the end of your August 5 post you wrote: "</span><em><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We will continue to listen to employee feedback to establish benefits and build an overall employee experience that raises the bar in our industry, creates a more inclusive environment, and recognizes the importance of our people to the continued success of Microsoft</span></em><span style="font-size: 14pt;">".</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We hope you'll consider all these facts and give us an answer about your participation in the collective bargaining process as a joint employer before the end of Thursday, October 22.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Sincerely, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Philippe Boucher</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">cc: Timothy O'Connell, attorney for Lionbridge Technologies</span></div>
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temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-75315526381532851312015-10-18T21:30:00.000-07:002016-01-18T14:56:50.436-08:00What do we need to do to get paid family leave?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J_1F5PtT9WE" width="560"></iframe><br />temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-92123090442808665472015-10-11T09:18:00.004-07:002015-10-11T09:18:45.925-07:00The trend toward 16 weeks of paid parental/family leave<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To complement the previous post here is a link to an article published October 8 in the Washington Post by Jane Waldfogel of Columbia University: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/10/08/why-16-week-paid-parental-leave-policies-are-revolutionary-for-u-s-workers/">Why 16 week paid parental leave policies are revolutionary for US workers.</a></span></span>temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-77365210160463731692015-10-11T09:12:00.001-07:002015-10-11T09:12:24.989-07:00Could melinda Gates help us obtain paid parental leave and paid public holidays?<br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-left: 8px; margin-right: 8px; margin-top: 8px;">
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt; background-color: #ffff00;" style="background-color: yellow; font-size: 14pt;">Parental Leave Isn't Just About Parents: Why It Makes a Difference to Our Kids' Health</span><br /><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt; background-color: #ffff00;" style="background-color: yellow; font-size: 14pt;">Let's not forget what parental leave is really about: healthier babies, parents who are able to thrive professionally, and strong and resilient families.</span><br /><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt; background-color: #ffff00;" style="background-color: yellow; font-size: 14pt;">By Melinda Gates</span><br />
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;"><em>This post first appeared at <a data-mce-href="http://www.parents.com/blogs/parents-perspective/2015/08/20/the-parents-perspective/parental-leave-isnt-just-about-parents-why-it-makes-a-difference-to-our-kids-health/" href="http://www.parents.com/blogs/parents-perspective/2015/08/20/the-parents-perspective/parental-leave-isnt-just-about-parents-why-it-makes-a-difference-to-our-kids-health/" target="_hplink">Parents.com</a>. We could not find the exact date and it apparently did not elicit any comment. It was then reproduced on August 21, on <a data-mce-href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melinda-gates/parental-leave-isnt-just-_b_8021718.html" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/melinda-gates/parental-leave-isnt-just-_b_8021718.html" target="_self">The Huffington Post</a> (72 comments). We discovered it because it was referenced on October 7 by Emily Peck again <a data-mce-href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gates-foundation-year-of-paid-parental-leave_56153e15e4b021e856d30a6e?section=parents&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000037" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gates-foundation-year-of-paid-parental-leave_56153e15e4b021e856d30a6e?section=parents&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000037" target="_self">in The Huffington Post</a> in a post where she explained how Melinda Gates is taking her own advice as <a data-mce-href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bill-melinda-gates-foundation-announces-52-weeks-parental-steven-rice" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bill-melinda-gates-foundation-announces-52-weeks-parental-steven-rice" target="_self"><span data-mce-style="background-color: #ffff00;" style="background-color: yellow;">the Gates Foundation announced it was now offering to its employees up to one year of paid parental leave</span></a>.</em></span><br />
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">The question for us: is there any chance that Melinda can convince Microsoft to require that its supplier Lionbridge Technologies provide "some parental leave" instead of nothing. What does she think the parental/family leave standard should be for Microsoft's suppliers?</span><br />
<img alt="" class="mcePageBreak mceItemNoResize" data-mce-src="http://static.typepad.com/.shared:v7555a63:typepad:en_us/tiny_mce/3.5.10/themes/advanced/img/trans.gif" src="http://static.typepad.com/.shared:v7555a63:typepad:en_us/tiny_mce/3.5.10/themes/advanced/img/trans.gif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://static.typepad.com/.shared:v7555a63:typepad:en_us/images/yui/skins/tp1/editor/extended-separator.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 50% 0%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: 15px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 5px; width: 617px;" /><br />
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">The news that </span><a data-mce-href="http://www.parents.com/blogs/baby/2015/08/05/news/netflixs-newest-hit-an-awesome-maternity-and-paternity-leave-policy/" href="http://www.parents.com/blogs/baby/2015/08/05/news/netflixs-newest-hit-an-awesome-maternity-and-paternity-leave-policy/" target="_blank"><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">Netflix</span></a><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;"> and Microsoft will strengthen their </span><a data-mce-href="http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-life/maternity-paternity-leave/" href="http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-life/maternity-paternity-leave/" target="_blank"><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">parental leave</span></a><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;"> policies was welcomed by parents across the country, including me. These announcements should put pressure on every company, in every industry, to design and implement similar policies, setting a new standard for family leave.</span><br />
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">However, there's more to this story than we are seeing in the headlines. Yes, the new policies will help tech companies retain highly skilled employees in a competitive job market, and that's an important priority for Netflix, Microsoft, and companies like them. But let's not forget what parental leave is really about: healthier babies, parents who are able to thrive professionally, and strong and resilient families.</span><br />
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">I saw only limited coverage--such as </span><a data-mce-href="http://time.com/3985933/why-netflixs-parental-leave-policy-is-good-for-babies/" href="http://time.com/3985933/why-netflixs-parental-leave-policy-is-good-for-babies/"><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">this</span></a><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;"> article--that focused on how the new policies will help parents and babies. We can debate about how leave should be structured to maximize its impact, but what's not in question is that when mothers and fathers get paid leave, they benefit, and so do their children.</span><br />
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">Paid leave has been linked to higher birth weights and lower rates of infant mortality. Mothers who get paid leave breastfeed more and for longer, which is one of the best ways to protect the health of a newborn. This is to say nothing of the long-term emotional health of both parents and children who are able to form a strong attachment from birth.</span><br />
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">The benefits extend beyond newborn health: When fathers take leave, they participate more in early child rearing, and that level of engagement continues after the leave ends. The evidence also shows that mothers who take leave are more likely to get raises in the year following their leave--54 percent more likely.</span><br />
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">Netflix and Microsoft made these changes because parental leave is a benefit their employees really want. Parents know intuitively that spending more time with each other and with their newborn is the best thing for their family.</span><br />
<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">I hope that we see more companies improve their parental leave policies. If that's how businesses start competing for the best employees, society will benefit greatly. When all Americans have the ability to stay home with their new babies without incurring </span><a data-mce-href="http://www.parents.com/videos/v/99287187/after-baby-long-maternity-leave-was-financially-disastrous.htm" href="http://www.parents.com/videos/v/99287187/after-baby-long-maternity-leave-was-financially-disastrous.htm" target="_blank"><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">financial hardships</span></a><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;"> or professional disadvantages, our country will be healthier, happier, and more productive. It's a goal we should all be working towards, for the health of our children.</span><br />
<em><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">Melinda Gates is co-chair of the </span><a data-mce-href="http://www.gatesfoundation.org/" href="http://www.gatesfoundation.org/"><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation</span></a><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14pt;" style="font-size: 14pt;">.</span> </em></div>
temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-64763593682965174242015-09-19T08:59:00.000-07:002015-12-11T16:50:28.862-08:00Microsoft: Stop paid leave discrimination<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sign this petition </span><a href="https://www.coworker.org/petitions/microsoft-stop-paid-leave-discrimination" style="color: #192f73; text-decoration: underline;" target="_self"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on coworker.org</span></a></div>
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Microsoft: Stop paid leave discrimination</h1>
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To: Microsoft</h2>
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Campaign created by Philippe Boucher<a data-url="/petitions/microsoft-stop-paid-leave-discrimination/contacts/new" href="https://www.coworker.org/petitions/microsoft-stop-paid-leave-discrimination#" id="view-contact-user-form" style="color: #192f73; text-decoration: underline;"></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Extend paid holidays and paid parental leave policies to all Microsoft's supplier's employees.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Why is this important?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On March 26, Brad Smith, Microsoft Executive Vice President for Legal Affairs, announced that Microsoft would now require its suppliers to provide 'at least 15 days of paid time off' to their employees, as "paid time off matters".</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On August 5, Kathleen Hogan, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, announced that Microsoft wanted to support its employees with benefits that matter the most to them: therefore Microsoft was adding two days to its present list of 8 paid holidays (MLK Day and President's Day) and extending its paid parental leave policy to 12 weeks. Unfortunately, those new benefits were not extended to the other half of Microsoft's workforce: the thousands of people who work full time for Microsoft via suppliers as many of the contractors don't provide any paid holidays nor any paid parental leave.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The direct, very negative consequences of this new policy will be a two day cut in pay, worth millions of dollars, for all the supplier's employees that are not being able to work on the two new unpaid holidays and the bitter confirmation that while Microsoft cares for its direct employees having parental leave they don't give a damn about the way their 2000 suppliers provide (or most often don't) any paid parental leave nor paid holidays. As the Department of Labor recently confirmed: the lack of paid leave disproportionally impacts low wage workers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Were the savings made by Microsoft by adding two unpaid holidays planned to finance the new extended paid parental leave? Should the suppliers and their lowest paid workers take a pay cut to offset the cost of extended parental leave for the privileged better compensated employees?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While Brad Smith expressed in March a concern to reduce the inequality of treatment between employees, Kathleen Hogan's announcement is going in the exact opposite direction.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This shocking situation is made even more so by Microsoft's attempt to include Martin Luther King Jr within their corporate culture, as they finally add MLK Day to their list of paid holiday.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It took 30 years for Microsoft to recognize a holiday implemented as paid holiday since 1986 and the way it will work is going to penalize the lowest earners, the complete opposite of Martin Luther' King's vision!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">At the end of her announcement, Kathleen Hogan writes: "We will continue to listen to employee feedback to establish benefits and build an overall employee experience that raises the bar in our industry, creates a more inclusive environment, and recognizes the importance of our people to the continued success of Microsoft."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Please sign this petition to let her know your concern about the lack of consideration Microsoft shows for all the people working via suppliers that are discriminated against and ask that Microsoft extend its new paid holidays and paid parental leave policies to all its suppliers employees, the other half of Microsoft</span></div>
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temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2618865211045294837.post-42737314125350310992015-07-17T21:07:00.002-07:002015-07-17T21:08:30.916-07:00Lionbridge proposal at the July 17 collective bargaining meeting: 15 days of paid time off<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Dear All,<br /><br />As we expected from the Scrooge company that Lionbridge is, their paid time off proposal is the smallest possible to respect Microsoft's requirement: 15 days per year that can be used for any purpose. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The eligibility would start once the contract with the union is signed and there is no retroactivity: one month after the signing you'll gain a bit more of one day of PTO. The people who have been there for years and the people who just arrived are treated the same. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="border-collapse: collapse;"></span>There is no extra paid time off for parental leave and the public holidays are taken out of the 15 bucket so that's already about half of the 15 days.</span></div>
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<span style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lionbridge is therefore much less generous than WIPRO (for example). </span></span></div>
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<span style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Microsoft has missed the opportunity to be really generous by adding the public holidays and a specific paid parental leave to the deal. </span></span></div>
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<span style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">They could still decide to do something if they get some bad feedback from the media comparing their meager offer to Facabook's ($4000 for each new baby).</span></span></div>
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<span style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It's also maintaining big inequalities among suppliers and with Microsoft's direct employees.<br />Let us know how you feel and if you want the union to sign asap or not.<br />Have a good week-end.</span></span></div>
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temporaryworkersofamericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16124871823815714193noreply@blogger.com0