Google CEO Sundar Pichai was expected to hold an all-hands meeting this afternoon in light of now-former Google engineer James Damore’s post about differences between men and women. Shortly before it was scheduled to start, Pichai sent out a note to employees letting them know it’s cancelled, Recode reports.
Some employees reportedly expressed fear that they’d be targets of online harassment if they were to speak up and ask questions in the town hall.
“We had hoped to have a frank, open discussion today as we always do to bring us together and move forward. But our Dory questions appeared externally this afternoon, and on some websites Googlers are now being named personally,” Pichai wrote in an email to employees. “Googlers are writing in, concerned about their safety and worried they may be ‘outed’ publicly for asking a question in the Town Hall.”
Pichai cut his vacation short a couple of days ago to deal with hellfire that has ensued as a result of the memo. In the days since his return, Pichai has spoken with many Googlers about the memo and Google’s decision to fire Damore, Pichai wrote in his note to employees today.
“The vast majority of you are very supportive of our decision,” he wrote. “A smaller percentage of you wish we would do more. And some are worried that you cannot speak out at work freely. All of your voices and opinions matter … and I want to hear them.”
Although there will be no meeting today, it sounds like Google employees will soon be able to meet up and freely discuss the events of the past week. You can head over to Recode to read the full memo.
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