mobanmarketCHELSEA, NY — New York City workers at Google joined employees around the world in walk outs at their offices Thursday in a global protest over how the company handles sexual harassment.
The demonstrations, dubbed “Google Walkout,” come after outcry over an investigation published in The New York Times last week that revealed Google had paid millions in exit packages to male executives accused of harassment — but stayed silent about the accusations against them.
The walkouts started in Asia and spread across the globe with protests planned for 11 a.m. in their respective time zones. In Manhattan, hundreds flooded the streets from Google’s Chelsea office on Eighth Avenue between W. 15th and 16th streets.
Protestors fled the office carrying signs with messages including “Not OK Google,” “Unfair workplaces create unfair platforms” and the company’s one-time motto, “Don’t Be Evil.”
The walkout’s seven core organizers explained their reasoning in an open letter published on the Cut.
“We’ve waited for leadership to fix these problems, but have come to this conclusion: no one is going to do it for us,” the statement reads.
“So we are here, standing together, protecting and supporting each other. We demand an end to the sexual harassment, discrimination, and the systemic racism that fuel this destructive culture.”
Organizers called for an end to forced arbitration in cases of harassment and discrimination. They also demanded Google commit to ending pay inequity and to create a publicly disclosed sexual harassment report and a clearer process for reporting complaints.
Employees protesting in New York spilled into 14th Street park for an impromptu rally.
“Google is not one human being walking around who gets to hold the power,” one employee said in a speech to fellow demonstrators.
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“Every single person who shows up to work every day — from the people who clean our bathrooms, to the people who serve our food, to the people who work in Chrome, all the way up to the VPs — are all equal members of this community and if they did not realize it they will learn that lesson today.”
Lead photo courtesy of AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews