GOOGLE STAFF TAKE A STAND OVER SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Workers at companys irish HQ join worldwide walkout protest
Worker conveys message to crowd WORKERS at Google’s Irish office yesterday took part in a worldwide walkout over sexual harassment of female employees. their desk which stated: “I’m not at my desk because I’m walking out in solidarity with other Googlers and contractors to protest [against] sexual harassment, misconduct, lack of transparency and a workplace culture that’s not working for everyone.”
Despite a large turnout shortly after 11am, no member of staff would talk to the media on the record about the workplace culture at its Irish operation – or whether they were aware of any colleagues being sexually harassed.
One female employee said: “It’s definitely important that there awareness and that people show their support for people who have had bad encounters.
“As soon as there is awareness there is change.”
A worker named Kate, who refused to give her surname but claimed to have organised the walkout, said: “I decided to co-ordinate this Dublin gathering as one of the many
Google sites that is Staff during walkout in Dublin yesterday are walking out today in solidarity with anybody who has experienced any form of sexual harassment or misconduct in our workplace.”
In a statement, Google chief Sundar Pichai said staff have been told they “will have the support they need if they wish to participate” in the protests. He added: “Employees have raised constructive ideas for how we can improve our policies and our processes going forward.
“We are taking in all their feedback so we can turn these ideas into action.”
Google Dublin is the company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa HQ and employs 7,000 people here.