Microsoft will take the path less traveled during a time when union-busting is the norm.
Microsoft's president and vice-chair, Brad Smith, revealed in a blog post that Microsoft recognizes and respects its employees' "legal right to form or join a union."
Microsoft is one of, if not the latest company to announce it would not deter its employees' unionization.
Microsoft's Unique Approach Regarding Unionization
Smith mentioned in an official Microsoft blog post that Microsoft's employees would never need to organize to have a dialogue with Microsoft's leaders when it comes to unionization, adding that it is sharing principles to guide its approach with labor organizations in recognition of the changing norms on workplaces.
As a result, the company came up with four new principles that are based on employee organizing and how it will engage with its employees, labor organizations, and "other important stakeholders in critical conversations around work."
These principles state that Microsoft believes in the importance of having a dialogue with employees and that it recognizes that employees have a legal right to choose whether to form or join a union.
The company also added that it's committed to creative and collaborative approaches with unions when employees wish to exercise their rights, and it is presented with a "specific unionization proposal."
Microsoft also included that it is dedicated to maintaining a close relationship and shared partnership with its employees, including those represented by a union.
These principles are created based on two factors: that Microsoft has a lot to learn from prominent labor, business, and academic leaders regarding relationships with labor organizations, and that its approach may be different from other companies due to its "deep appreciation" of the vital and innovative role employees play in developing and adopting new technologies.
Smith said that Microsoft acknowledges that it will need to continue learning and changing as a company s employee expectations and views change with the world. He also added that the company recognizes that employers, and employees will not always agree on all topics.
"None of us ever Knows precisely what challenges the future will bring," Smith said. "Buth we're willing to bet that a company that listens to and works well with its employees is likely to have a winning hand."
Microsoft's Uniqueness In The Changing Times
Companies in the tech sector have been recently reported to have threatened or warned employees of unionizing to deter or stop employees from forming or joining a union.
According to Business Insider, workers in Amazon's New York warehouse have formed the company's first union in April, but that has not deterred the company to intimidate workers that wanted to organize, per the New York Times. It also ran anti-union ads on social media to deter or prevent employees from unionizing.
Another tech company, Apple, was reported to have threatened workers about the repercussions of joining a union, according to a video shared within the company, per CNBC.
Google is also not innocent when it comes to union-busting, with the company hiring union-busting consultants to convince employees that "unions suck," per Ars Technica.
As such, Microsoft's approach to unions is unique that it sets the company apart from how other tech companies responded to their workers' efforts to unionize.
