Reclaiming Tech Worker Values

We at the Tech Workers Coalition applaud the initiatives that leaders in the tech industry are taking to fight the Trump agenda. However, we find The Tech Pledge to be disappointingly shallow and not reflective of the change workers want to see in our industry. The language of the tech pledge speaks for itself; a commitment to simply follow the law should be the bare minimum.

While being a tremendous force for change, many companies in our industry, driven by the interests of investors and venture capitalists, have failed to lead in cultivating inclusive workplaces, failed to protect the personal information of consumers, shown disregard for the law, and have widened economic inequality in our communities. Workers have the critical responsibility to change this.

As workers we need to use our collective power to hold our companies and management accountable to the values we hold.

Here are some steps we suggest that all tech workers take:

1. Talk to your co-workers. From operations to engineering to food staff, discuss your common values and actionable steps you can take as a group to hold management accountable.
2. Ask questions, and don’t work for companies that don’t uphold your values. Your company cannot survive without workers. Make strong demands and commit to collectively walking out rather than violating your users’ safety.
3. Join the Tech Workers Coalition. Talk to us about how to use our collective action as workers to make lasting change in our industry.

Any pledge claiming to uphold the values of tech workers should be defined by the workers themselves. Workers can and must organize to uphold their own values and better their own conditions and those of their coworkers, in the Trump era and beyond.

Signed,

Tech Workers Coalition