'Googlers' walk out to protest sexual harassment

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Google employees poured out of buildings at the company's Mountain View campus, filling courtyards and patios in solidarity with co-workers who staged similar demonstrations at offices in countries around the world to protest the company's handling of sexual misconduct

Demonstrators streamed across the Mountain View campus, some waving signs bearing messages such as "Time's Up Tech" and "Happy to quit for 90 million (US dollars) – no sexual harassment required."

Google employees walk off the job to protest the company's handling of sexual misconduct claims in Mountain View, California, US, November 1, 2018. /VCG Photo

The turnout in California was the final stage of a global walkout that began in Asia and spread to Google offices in Europe.

Some protesters chalked statements such as "Not OK Google" in large letters on pavement as television news helicopters circled overhead.

Images, video and comments were being shared and tweeted with hashtag #GoogleWalkout so heavily from smartphones that some lamented on Twitter that telecom coverage was getting overloaded at the campus.

Workers hold signs outside 14th Street Park across the Google offices after walking out as part of a global protest over workplace issues in New York, US, November 1, 2018. /VCG Photo

"Not only will these women and men change the Tech Bro Culture in Silicon Valley, they're going to change the world!" Democratic California Congresswoman Jackie Speier tweeted.

"The worldwide #GoogleWalkout is another defining moment in our fight to change Corp America's toxic culture."

Google employee holds a sign as thousands of employees walk off the job to protest the company's handling of sexual misconduct claims, California, US, November 1, 2018. /VCG Photo

The walkout lasted more than an hour, according to updates on Twitter.

"Earlier this week, we let Googlers know that we are aware of the activities planned for today and that employees will have the support they need if they wish to participate," Google chief executive Sundar Pichai said.

"We are taking in all their feedback so we can turn these ideas into action."

A Google employee holds a sign next to an Android mascot during a "women's walkout" in protest over several managers who had allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct at the company, California, US, November 1, 2018. /VCG Photo

The protest took shape after Google said last week that it had fired 48 employees in the past two years – including 13 senior executives – as a result of allegations of sexual misconduct, citing "an increasingly hard line" on inappropriate conduct.

(Cover: Google employees walk off the job to protest the company's handling of sexual misconduct claims, California, US, November 1, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP