WEBVTT 00:00:02.708 --> 00:00:05.286 This is intimidation plain and simple, it is union busting, 00:00:05.442 --> 00:00:07.563 works council busting and it is meant 00:00:07.593 --> 00:00:09.280 to send a message to everyone watching. 00:00:09.639 --> 00:00:12.400 So we are here today to support Olesya 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:14.599 in her court hearing and her termination hearing. 00:00:14.840 --> 00:00:16.920 Olesya was terminated back in January 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:19.960 and this is the first court date for her. 00:00:20.110 --> 00:00:23.156 To increase the pressure the employers suspended pay for one of us, 00:00:23.239 --> 00:00:25.840 no salary, forced to apply for unemployment benefits 00:00:25.840 --> 00:00:28.920 just for doing the work that the law protects. 00:00:28.971 --> 00:00:30.612 But here is what they didn't count on. 00:00:30.639 --> 00:00:32.455 We are not afraid and we are not alone. 00:00:32.639 --> 00:00:34.719 What is happening is not unique to Thoughtworks 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:36.119 Across the tech industry. 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:37.440 This pattern is the same. 00:00:37.599 --> 00:00:40.480 Mass layoffs, surveillance of workers, pressure to build technology 00:00:40.480 --> 00:00:43.599 for war and for the powerful and everywhere the same hostility 00:00:43.599 --> 00:00:45.559 towards anyone who dares to organise. 00:00:45.760 --> 00:00:48.480 The industry that promised to change the world is now using 00:00:48.480 --> 00:00:50.960 its money and its lawyers to crush the workers who built it. 00:00:51.119 --> 00:00:54.480 For too long we were told that tech workers do not need unions, 00:00:54.840 --> 00:00:57.079 that we were different, that we should be grateful. 00:00:57.315 --> 00:00:58.783 That myth is dead. 00:00:58.985 --> 00:01:02.386 So just to give you a briefing on the worksconsitution act: 00:01:02.480 --> 00:01:04.639 We can't be terminated by the employer 00:01:04.639 --> 00:01:07.039 unless the workscouncil consents to that. 00:01:07.679 --> 00:01:11.800 So employers are trying to terminate us on allegations 00:01:11.800 --> 00:01:16.239 that we saw internal company information that we shouldn't have access to. 00:01:16.348 --> 00:01:19.566 Because the employer basically sent an email to 10,000 employees 00:01:19.672 --> 00:01:22.031 containing this information, links to the information. 00:01:22.094 --> 00:01:24.855 Once we clicked on it, they terminated us, me and Olysia. 00:01:25.119 --> 00:01:29.880 So these are the basis of the allegations and they are not true, 00:01:29.880 --> 00:01:32.880 simply because the employer sent this information to everyone. 00:01:32.880 --> 00:01:35.039 It's simply just targeting Works Council members 00:01:35.039 --> 00:01:37.442 for being loud and vocal and combative. 00:01:37.520 --> 00:01:39.223 So our company has five Works Councils 00:01:39.270 --> 00:01:42.280 across Germany in five cities. 00:01:42.389 --> 00:01:44.039 We also have like a central Works Council 00:01:44.039 --> 00:01:46.639 that represents all the employees in Germany. 00:01:46.880 --> 00:01:49.760 When she was terminated she was part of the Berlin Works Council 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:52.000 and she was part of the Central Council. 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:53.800 And currently we are negotiating 00:01:53.800 --> 00:01:55.320 with the employer on multiple topics. 00:01:55.504 --> 00:01:58.395 So that's basically, we're doing our job as Works Council members 00:01:58.455 --> 00:02:00.134 just negotiations, working on agreements, 00:02:00.221 --> 00:02:02.741 representing employees and so on. 00:02:02.851 --> 00:02:04.304 We will not be intimidated. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:07.273 We will fight every one of these cases in court and we will win. 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:09.400 And to tech workers watching: 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:13.840 Your rights are only as strong as your willingness to defend them. 00:02:13.978 --> 00:02:16.378 Organise, join a union, stand with your Works Council, 00:02:16.519 --> 00:02:18.920 because an injury to one of us is an injury to all of us. 00:02:19.046 --> 00:02:21.718 Tech workers, unite!