TikTok tells staff impacted by wildfires to use sick hours if they can't work
(techcrunch.com)
Wildfires are currently devastating the greater Los Angeles area, burning over 45 square miles, torching over 1,300 structures, and putting nearly 180,000 people under evacuation orders as of Thursday. And yet, TikTok’s LA-based employees are being told to either continue their work from home or use their personal/sick days if that’s not possible, while the company’s LA office remains closed due to power outages caused by high winds.
Wildfires are currently devastating the greater Los Angeles area, burning over 45 square miles, torching over 1,300 structures, and putting nearly 180,000 people under evacuation orders as of Thursday. And yet, TikTok’s LA-based employees are being told to either continue their work from home or use their personal/sick days if that’s not possible, while the company’s LA office remains closed due to power outages caused by high winds.
When the U.S. tried to replace migrant farmworkers with high schoolers (2018)
(npr.org)
In 1964, a program that brought migrant Mexican laborers to the U.S. ended. So the U.S. recruited American students to pick crops instead. When they saw their living conditions, strikes ensued.
In 1964, a program that brought migrant Mexican laborers to the U.S. ended. So the U.S. recruited American students to pick crops instead. When they saw their living conditions, strikes ensued.
'Virtual employees' could join workforce as soon as this year, OpenAI boss says
(theguardian.com)
Virtual employees could join workforces this year and transform how companies work, according to the chief executive of OpenAI.
Virtual employees could join workforces this year and transform how companies work, according to the chief executive of OpenAI.
Deere Goes Driverless Beyond Midwest Farms to Ease Labor Crunch
(bloomberg.com)
Deere & Co., which has already introduced driverless plows to farm fields in the Midwest, now wants to bring autonomous machines to orchards, quarries and grassy lawns to help ease a tight labor market.
Deere & Co., which has already introduced driverless plows to farm fields in the Midwest, now wants to bring autonomous machines to orchards, quarries and grassy lawns to help ease a tight labor market.
Top H1B employers hired 34k new H1B workers, laid off at least 85k (2022)
(epi.org)
The H-1B program is the largest U.S. temporary work visa program, with a total of approximately 600,000 workers employed by 50,000 employers.
The H-1B program is the largest U.S. temporary work visa program, with a total of approximately 600,000 workers employed by 50,000 employers.
Counterintuitive Effects of Minimum Prices
(dynomight.net)
The Attorney General of Massachusetts recently announced that drivers for ride-sharing companies must be paid at least $32.50 per hour.
The Attorney General of Massachusetts recently announced that drivers for ride-sharing companies must be paid at least $32.50 per hour.
Judge denies Uber's motion to block Seattle law regulating driver deactivation
(geekwire.com)
A federal judge denied Uber’s effort to stop the enforcement of a new Seattle law that establishes labor standards for the driver deactivation process.
A federal judge denied Uber’s effort to stop the enforcement of a new Seattle law that establishes labor standards for the driver deactivation process.
Why I'm skeptical of minimum prices for ride sharing
(dynomight.net)
The Attorney General of Massachusetts recently announced that drivers for ride-sharing companies must be paid at least $32.50 per hour.
The Attorney General of Massachusetts recently announced that drivers for ride-sharing companies must be paid at least $32.50 per hour.
The Truth About H-1B Visas It's wage theft, pure and simple
(neuburger.substack.com)
It's wage theft, pure and simple
It's wage theft, pure and simple
Epic Construction Site in the Saudi Desert Is a Hazard for Workers
(wsj.com)
Billed as a futuristic city-state with dazzling architecture including parallel 106-mile-long skyscrapers taller than the Empire State Building, Neom is the centerpiece of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plans to transform his oil-rich country into a modern diversified economy.
Billed as a futuristic city-state with dazzling architecture including parallel 106-mile-long skyscrapers taller than the Empire State Building, Neom is the centerpiece of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plans to transform his oil-rich country into a modern diversified economy.
Tech worker movements grow as threats of RTO, AI loom
(arstechnica.com)
Advocates say tech workers movements got too big to ignore in 2024.
Advocates say tech workers movements got too big to ignore in 2024.
45% of Amazon Japan delivery drivers involved in accident: survey
(mainichi.jp)
Around 45 percent of self-employed delivery drivers working for the Japanese unit of Amazon.com Inc. said they had been involved in a traffic accident while on the job, a recent survey conducted by a labor union has shown.
Around 45 percent of self-employed delivery drivers working for the Japanese unit of Amazon.com Inc. said they had been involved in a traffic accident while on the job, a recent survey conducted by a labor union has shown.
Trump Backers Battle Online over Skilled Immigrants
(nytimes.com)
Weeks before President-elect Donald J. Trump is to take office, a major rift has emerged among his supporters over immigration and the place of foreign workers in the U.S. labor market.
Weeks before President-elect Donald J. Trump is to take office, a major rift has emerged among his supporters over immigration and the place of foreign workers in the U.S. labor market.
Google, Meta, Amazon hire low-paid foreign workers after US layoffs
(nypost.com)
Some of the biggest companies in tech including Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and Salesforce have hired foreign workers just weeks after reducing headcount by thousands of employees, according to a report.
Some of the biggest companies in tech including Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and Salesforce have hired foreign workers just weeks after reducing headcount by thousands of employees, according to a report.
Google is forcing contractors to rate AI responses outside their expertise
(techcrunch.com)
Generative AI may look like magic, but behind the development of these systems are armies of employees at companies like Google, OpenAI, and others, known as “prompt engineers” and analysts, who rate the accuracy of chatbots’ outputs to improve their AI.
Generative AI may look like magic, but behind the development of these systems are armies of employees at companies like Google, OpenAI, and others, known as “prompt engineers” and analysts, who rate the accuracy of chatbots’ outputs to improve their AI.
Uber for Nursing: How an AI-Powered Gig Model Is Threatening Health Care
(rooseveltinstitute.org)
The gig economy’s labor model and its algorithmic management technologies now have a foothold in one of the largest labor sectors in the country: health care.
The gig economy’s labor model and its algorithmic management technologies now have a foothold in one of the largest labor sectors in the country: health care.
Amazon Disregarded Internal Warnings on Injuries, Senate Investigation Claims
(nytimes.com)
A staff report by the Senate labor committee, led by Bernie Sanders, uncovered evidence of internal concern about high injury rates at the e-commerce giant.
A staff report by the Senate labor committee, led by Bernie Sanders, uncovered evidence of internal concern about high injury rates at the e-commerce giant.
Sudden Loss of Undocumented Workers Threw Tech Supplier into Upheaval
(nytimes.com)
Jabil, a major manufacturer of electronics components for the tech industry, made a startling discovery in the spring of 2021: It had been relying on dozens of undocumented workers, contracted from a staffing agency, to power its manufacturing sites near Silicon Valley.
Jabil, a major manufacturer of electronics components for the tech industry, made a startling discovery in the spring of 2021: It had been relying on dozens of undocumented workers, contracted from a staffing agency, to power its manufacturing sites near Silicon Valley.
Suit charges SF's Scale AI with misclassifying workers, wage theft
(sfexaminer.com)
A San Francisco-based artificial-intelligence startup misclassified workers as contractors and failed to pay them the money they were owed or give them paid breaks, according to a new class-action lawsuit.
A San Francisco-based artificial-intelligence startup misclassified workers as contractors and failed to pay them the money they were owed or give them paid breaks, according to a new class-action lawsuit.
Washington Post Leverages 'AI' to Undermine History and Make Search Less Useful
(techdirt.com)
While “AI” (language learning models) certainly could help journalism, the fail upward brunchlords in charge of most modern media outlets instead see the technology as a way to cut corners, undermine labor, badly automate low-quality, ultra-low effort, SEO-chasing clickbait, and rush undercooked solutions to nonexistent problems to market under the pretense of progress.
While “AI” (language learning models) certainly could help journalism, the fail upward brunchlords in charge of most modern media outlets instead see the technology as a way to cut corners, undermine labor, badly automate low-quality, ultra-low effort, SEO-chasing clickbait, and rush undercooked solutions to nonexistent problems to market under the pretense of progress.
AI company trolls San Francisco with billboards saying "stop hiring humans"
(arstechnica.com)
A Y-Combinator-backed company called Artisan, which sells customer service and sales workflow software, recently launched a provocative billboard campaign in San Francisco playing on that angst, reports Gizmodo. It features the slogan "Stop Hiring Humans." The company markets its software products as "AI Employees" or "Artisans."
A Y-Combinator-backed company called Artisan, which sells customer service and sales workflow software, recently launched a provocative billboard campaign in San Francisco playing on that angst, reports Gizmodo. It features the slogan "Stop Hiring Humans." The company markets its software products as "AI Employees" or "Artisans."
AI company trolls San Francisco with billboards saying "stop hiring humans"
(arstechnica.com)
A Y-Combinator-backed company called Artisan, which sells customer service and sales workflow software, recently launched a provocative billboard campaign in San Francisco playing on that angst, reports Gizmodo. It features the slogan "Stop Hiring Humans." The company markets its software products as "AI Employees" or "Artisans."
A Y-Combinator-backed company called Artisan, which sells customer service and sales workflow software, recently launched a provocative billboard campaign in San Francisco playing on that angst, reports Gizmodo. It features the slogan "Stop Hiring Humans." The company markets its software products as "AI Employees" or "Artisans."
Jury finds Cognizant discriminated against US workers
(bloomberg.com)
Six months into her job, Latreecia Folkes had launched a new project and received a letter of praise from her supervisor. And then, she says, she was told to train her replacement on the project, a worker from India. She balked at that but was replaced anyway.
Six months into her job, Latreecia Folkes had launched a new project and received a letter of praise from her supervisor. And then, she says, she was told to train her replacement on the project, a worker from India. She balked at that but was replaced anyway.
IT Outsourcer Gamed US H-1B Visa Lottery for Indian Workers over Others
(bloomberg.com)
Six months into her job, Latreecia Folkes had launched a new project and received a letter of praise from her supervisor. And then, she says, she was told to train her replacement on the project, a worker from India. She balked at that but was replaced anyway.
Six months into her job, Latreecia Folkes had launched a new project and received a letter of praise from her supervisor. And then, she says, she was told to train her replacement on the project, a worker from India. She balked at that but was replaced anyway.
AI is making Philippine call center work more efficient, for better and worse
(restofworld.org)
“Thank you for calling. … You’re speaking with Renzo. This call may be recorded for — uhm — this call may be re—” Renzo Bahala, a customer service agent for a U.S. credit card company, breaks his monologue. If he were at work, he would’ve earned a demerit.
“Thank you for calling. … You’re speaking with Renzo. This call may be recorded for — uhm — this call may be re—” Renzo Bahala, a customer service agent for a U.S. credit card company, breaks his monologue. If he were at work, he would’ve earned a demerit.
Federal Employees Land Work from Home Deal Ahead of Trump
(bloomberg.com)
A Biden administration appointee has agreed to lock in hybrid work protections for tens of thousands of Social Security staff, part of a slew of organized labor efforts that complicate President-elect Donald Trump's efforts to reshape the federal workforce.
A Biden administration appointee has agreed to lock in hybrid work protections for tens of thousands of Social Security staff, part of a slew of organized labor efforts that complicate President-elect Donald Trump's efforts to reshape the federal workforce.