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Greetings from Rio de Janeiro, where we are frantically fundraising to finish our new website.
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Google Fires Anti-Genocide Protestor
Earlier this week, a Google Cloud employee interrupted a speech in New York City from Google Israel’s director.
“I refuse to build technology that powers genocide!” he yelled, referring to Google’s Project Nimbus contract. Now, Google has fired this employee. The group “No Tech for Apartheid” has denounced the firing.
“This is the first immediate firing of a worker after a public, brave act of employee dissent against Project Nimbus, Google and Amazon’s shared $1.2 billion contract with the Israeli military and government,” said the group “No Tech for Apartheid,” in a statement. “Google’s aims are clear: The corporation is trying to silence workers to hide their moral failings. Google is enabling the world’s first AI-powered genocide through Project Nimbus”.
For more, check out No Tech for Apartheid.
Rite Aid Reverses Two-Week Severance
As part of bankruptcy, Rite Aid is closing stores and laying off hundreds of workers around the US. This week, several workers were shocked when they received notices from their banks that their severances had been reversed. From WHTM:
“Six o’clock in the morning, I check, it’s in the bank,” said one employee, who was laid off early this year and asked not to be identified. “And I asked my son, ‘Would you like to go out to breakfast?’ And we go out to breakfast on the way to school.”
The employee returned home, and their spouse told them the Rite Aid payment was now “pending reversal.”
“And as of 7 p.m., my bank account is now negative because I took my son to breakfast, because we live paycheck to paycheck,” the employee said. “Unfortunately, right now it’s hard to save up money. So we’re kind of stuck right now.”
$40 Million Provided for Housing at Yellowstone
In 2022, Payday traveled to Yellowstone, where many tour guides and park rangers can no longer afford the average monthly rent of $1,675. Now, Yellowstone has announced that it will invest $40 million in creating affordable housing for park employees.
“I can count at least five critical positions where we’ve tried to recruit, but we got turned down by the applicant because of a lack of housing,” said Yellowstone Park superintendent Cam Sholly.
Strikes & News Happening Elsewhere
- Italian transport workers are on strike today.
- Major French union threatens strikes during Olympics. Hospital workers could walk off the job
- Millions affected by German air and rail strikes
- Shin Bet debunks idea that Gazan workers spied en masse for Hamas pre-Oct.7
- Strikes at East Coast, Gulf ports are a big labor risk this year, and trade diversions have already started
- Loudoun Co. General Government employees vote to unionize
- Finally, Big Tech firms beat lawsuit from child laborers forced to work in cobalt mines
Alright yinz, that’s all for today. Keep sending tips, comments, and complaints to melk@paydayreport.com
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Love & Solidarity,
Melk
