Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

unhappycamper

(60,364 posts)
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 07:50 AM Feb 2016

Silicon Valley tech worker fired after blogging about starving while working at billion-dollar food

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/02/silicon-valley-tech-worker-fired-after-blogging-about-starving-while-working-at-billion-dollar-food-delivery-firm/



"Talia Jane" (Twitter)

Silicon Valley tech worker fired after blogging about starving while working at billion-dollar food delivery firm
Bethania Palma Markus
20 Feb 2016 at 17:40 ET

A fired employee from the Silicon Valley tech firm Yelp! has raised anger over the $1.38 billion company’s labor practices after writing a blog that pointed out that the profitable company’s employees are struggling to survive.

~snip~

She had been paid just over $733 biweekly and was paying $1,245 monthly for rent.

“I make $8.15 an hour after taxes,” she said.

Among her other grievances, she writes, “I haven’t bought groceries since I started this job. Not because I’m lazy, but because I got this ten pound bag of rice before I moved here and my meals at home (including the one I’m having as I write this) consist, by and large, of that. Because I can’t afford to buy groceries.”

--

In related news:

We're looking at starting research for the new B-3 bomber; the military sez they will cost $550,000,000 each which may be difficult as the B-2 costs $2,400,000,000 each.

We will be replacing our $240,000 hummers with $600,000 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles.

I saw recently that we are staring a new project for a 6th generation stealth fighter. The F-22 costs $418,000 a pop; the F-35B is around $320,000,000 a pop.

I haven't heard shit about when our new $13,900,000,000 unfinished aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford will be completed for sea trails. And they laid the keel for Ford-class #2 last year.

Our new $7,500,000,000 (you read that correctly $7.5 billion dollars for a friccking destroyer) Zumwalt-class destroyers cost almost 2 1/2 times as much as a $1,800,000,000 Aegis-class destroyer

5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Silicon Valley tech worker fired after blogging about starving while working at billion-dollar food (Original Post) unhappycamper Feb 2016 OP
Well hmmm rjsquirrel Feb 2016 #1
I'm confused.... dixiegrrrrl Feb 2016 #4
This message was self-deleted by its author CatLady78 Jul 2020 #5
If there is a job to be filled, that job should pay a living wage. Period. My Good Babushka Feb 2016 #2
This^ Person 2713 Feb 2016 #3
 

rjsquirrel

(4,762 posts)
1. Well hmmm
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 07:57 AM
Feb 2016

I am not sympathetic.

A college educated person getting paid minimum wage to do the hard, hard work of *tweeting* all day, choosing to take a low wage job in a very expensive city, and basically contributing to a parasitic company that extorts ad money from local businesses.

Does anyone here not know how Yelp works? It's a legal extortion racket basically. Anyone who works for them on the creative/advertorial side is part of the problem. A smart college educated young woman can find another job. And in fact it sounds like waiting tables would pay better than working for this Silicon Valley bullshit (Yelp is doomed anyway, bleeding money).

If you get paid to tweet, your job is not safe.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,011 posts)
4. I'm confused....
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 12:46 PM
Feb 2016

OP says Yelp is a billion dollar food delivery firm.
I thought it was a rating site.?

Back in my starving student days...serious lack of money....I lived in shared housing, several times..in Seattle.
That is where you rent a 3 or more bedroom house and find room mates to share the rent and utility bills.
They pay first month in advance.

Don't people do that anymore?

Response to rjsquirrel (Reply #1)

My Good Babushka

(2,710 posts)
2. If there is a job to be filled, that job should pay a living wage. Period.
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 08:45 AM
Feb 2016

I think there is a pervasive, inexplicable, pathological hate of labor in this country, and it comes from the top down. It comes from the left and the right. Our government sets the example that only the wealthy are worthy of human dignity, and if you have to work for a living, you are beneath contempt. It started with the minimum wage workers, and now it's creeping up, to teachers, nurses, welders, customer service representatives, really through every pay scale. The fact remains, countries that make sure their workers live well, are healthy and prosperous, are ranked as the better places to start and run businesses.

We can't say there is dignity in work, but not *your* work, we didn't mean you, you're just some kind of stupid asshole. This sort of attitude, from the party that is supposed to be on the side of the working class people, makes me sick.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Poverty»Silicon Valley tech worke...