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Washingtonian staff goes on publishing strike after CEO’s op-ed about remote work
The Washington Post ^ | May 7, 2021 | Elahe Izadi

Posted on 05/07/2021 8:47:26 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

Washingtonian magazine staffers launched a day-long protest on Friday in response to an op-ed written by their boss, who warned that continuing to work from home as the pandemic subsides could make employees less valuable and easier to “let go.”

Cathy Merrill, chief executive of the D.C.-centered magazine, shared her concerns about the popularity of remote work in a Washington Post op-ed published Thursday, originally titled: “As a CEO, I want my employees to understand the risks of not returning to work in the office.”

While some employees may want to “work from home and pop in only when necessary” after the pandemic, Merrill argued, the dynamic may create a “strong incentive” for bosses to convert full-time workers into contractors, who get paid by the hour or output and lack benefits such as health-care coverage and retirement accounts.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
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1 posted on 05/07/2021 8:47:26 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

He’s right. Everything fine through the internet can be done from anywhere in the world. No business, that does work remotely has to be done in New York or Los Angeles. It can be done just as well from India or Africa and a fifth of the wages.


2 posted on 05/07/2021 8:49:30 PM PDT by Jonty30 (Just because I coughed on you does not mean that I have covid. It means that we have covid. )
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To: MinorityRepublican

He’s right. Everything done through the internet can be done from anywhere in the world. No business, that does work remotely has to be done in New York or Los Angeles. It can be done just as well from India or Africa and a fifth of the wages.


3 posted on 05/07/2021 8:49:41 PM PDT by Jonty30 (Just because I coughed on you does not mean that I have covid. It means that we have covid. )
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>> staffers launched a day-long protest on Friday

They stayed home and worked less?


4 posted on 05/07/2021 8:49:55 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: Jonty30

>> Everything done through the internet can be done from anywhere in the world.

Definitely many things.

Micromanagers hit hardest.


5 posted on 05/07/2021 8:52:09 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: MinorityRepublican

This is the wrong time to ‘protest’ by refusing to work.
They will only prove this man’s point, and demonstrate that they are not so very essential after all.

Stop using the Teacher’s Union as inspiration to stay home.
They’re comeuppance is getting closer too.
Parents have had enough with all the emoting, censoring and fearmongering.


6 posted on 05/07/2021 8:52:26 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: MinorityRepublican

If you are working from home, and you have someone working in the office, the one in the office will have the advantage when it comes to raises and promotions.


7 posted on 05/07/2021 9:04:25 PM PDT by McGavin999 (biden is not my president )
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To: Jonty30

Out of sight, out of mind. Easiest to lay-off.


8 posted on 05/07/2021 9:06:32 PM PDT by bobcat62
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To: Jonty30

Time zone issues put the lie to your assertion - some things have to be done during US business hours, some things don’t. Programming and phone support/customer service is not an indicator for all clerical tasks being doable overseas (and even those can have huge problems). I have been involved in WFH/Remote Work projects for the last decade plus and farming out to India or Africa isn’t actually workable for most desk jobs. Oddly enough, at best you can do it in Canada.


9 posted on 05/07/2021 9:11:30 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: McGavin999
If you are working from home, and you have someone working in the office, the one in the office will have the advantage when it comes to raises and promotions.

I've seen the reverse; the ones in the office (especially bosses) need to have their hands held and shown how to do everything. The pros at home resist the pressure from bosses to come in and babysit the ones in the office.

As for being replaced by someone overseas, that likely already happened to every job it could happen to by 2020.

10 posted on 05/07/2021 9:15:44 PM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: MinorityRepublican

At-home work might be fine for a magazine but not for industrial concerns. If there is a problem in manufacturing a new product the Research and Development engineers need to be there to help solve the problem. It can be done remotely but the process is much, much slower.

Same goes for Marketing. They want something new, they need to walk down the hall and show the engineers what they want, not Skype for a week or more to relay the message.


11 posted on 05/07/2021 9:16:03 PM PDT by packagingguy
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To: Gene Eric

They were hired to work at the company...that is the companies decision....if they do not return to work...bye!


12 posted on 05/07/2021 9:20:00 PM PDT by caww ( lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. Matt:24:12)
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To: T.B. Yoits

The people who went on strike when they were told to return to work are not the types who could be trusted to work from home.

I think it would depend on the business and the workforce. But if your boss says “back in the office” and they don’t go, they should expect to be unemployed.


13 posted on 05/07/2021 9:20:07 PM PDT by McGavin999 (biden is not my president )
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To: packagingguy

Agree....I wouldn’t want the drag time on my business either.


14 posted on 05/07/2021 9:21:08 PM PDT by caww ( lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. Matt:24:12)
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To: MinorityRepublican
only the tip of the iceburg.

they thought they'd control us

15 posted on 05/07/2021 9:21:52 PM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true, I have no proof, but they're true !)
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To: McGavin999
...if your boss says “back in the office” and they don’t go, they should expect to be unemployed.

Yes and no. Employers cannot mandate employees take experimental medical treatments and they can't have it both ways when it comes to restrictions; if it's dangerous enough to have any personal protective requirements such as masks or social distancing, it's too dangerous to be there.

Sure, they can find grounds to fire anyone, but why not also fire their handicapped, elderly, or pregnant employees while they're at it?

16 posted on 05/07/2021 9:32:21 PM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: MinorityRepublican; Gamecock; SaveFerris; PROCON
Their cartoons aren't as good as the New Yorker's.


17 posted on 05/07/2021 9:32:34 PM PDT by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
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To: T.B. Yoits

They have every right to do that. They run a business, not a preschool. If you can’t deal with the rules go to work for someone else.

It’s getting to be ridiculous the way employees are dictating to employers.


18 posted on 05/07/2021 9:35:22 PM PDT by McGavin999 (biden is not my president )
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To: T.B. Yoits
Yes and no. Employers cannot mandate employees take experimental medical treatments

As a legal matter, that remains to be litigated. In our case, our board voted that we would not require vaccinations of any kind as a condition of employment, and our insurance carriers so far have not baulked.

and they can't have it both ways when it comes to restrictions; if it's dangerous enough to have any personal protective requirements such as masks or social distancing, it's too dangerous to be there.

With all due respect, that's nonsense. If the local authorities are requiring those measures, no matter how stupid, the employer has to comply or face legal consequences. That much is certain, though someone will surely find counsel to argue along your line of reasoning.

That don't make it right though.

19 posted on 05/07/2021 9:47:16 PM PDT by absalom01 (You should do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, and you should never wish to do less.)
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To: McGavin999

“Back in the office” may mean “back in the office only when everyone has had their shots”.

Trouble is, there’s medical reasons for someone not taking the shots.

And while an item is under an Emergency Use Authorization as the shots are, they can’t be made mandatory.


20 posted on 05/07/2021 9:48:14 PM PDT by WildHighlander57 ((WildHighlander57 returning after lurking since 2000))
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