As we approach the second quarter of the 21st century, the American economy continues to evolve. Our free market is being reshaped in part by changing public expectations about the nature of work and the responsibilities of corporations. Technology is contributing to these changes, and the tech sector itself is addressing anew a facet that has long been important to the U.S. economy and American democracy – the right of workers to organize.
Recent unionization campaigns across the country — including in the tech sector — have led us to conclude that inevitably these issues will touch on more businesses, potentially including our own. This has encouraged us to think proactively about the best approach for our employees, shareholders, customers, and other stakeholders.
Our employees will never need to organize to have a dialogue with Microsoft’s leaders.
But we also recognize the workplace is changing. That’s why we are sharing principles to guide our approach with labor organizations.
Today we are announcing a new set of principles around employee organizing and how we will engage with our employees, labor organizations, and other important stakeholders in critical conversations around work.
Two factors are guiding our thinking.
First, while relationships with labor organizations are not new to Microsoft, we know that we have a lot to learn. Many other industries have vastly more experience and knowledge than we do. In recent months we’ve talked with and worked hard to...
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