Re: [All-affiliates] Re: Community response to WMF layoffs and labor concerns
Gnangarra via Wikimedia-l <[email protected]> Sat, 23 May 2026 09:56:20 +0800
| Newsgroups | gmane.org.wikimedia.foundation,gmane.science.linguistics.wikipedia.technical,gmane.org.wikimedia.community.announce |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <CAD==kb+c69VEiZh5GQZbhMu3BykKF+U0vhvLDD8t9QyjO8D1Tw@mail.gmail.com> |
--===============5460295689989202108== Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="000000000000573ae70652727403" --000000000000573ae70652727403 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable What I find troubling is that the Community Tech caught a lot of tasks that have fallen through the gaps between teams or when teams have been remodelled and staff moved to new areas. What is most troubling is that the team being laid off and told to apply for new positions within the new hiring framework that mean some of these will be ineligible under the current hiring policies. When those change were announced it was said that existing employees would not be affect yet here we are only a couple of months past that and it to being applied to existing employees. While 10,000's of are just volunteers every staff loss is painful especially highly experienced technical staff because we know that it the front end and volunteers who sufffer from these changes. If the new CEO wants to rattle employee cages dont do it to the detriment on the community thats make these project viable. On Sat, 23 May 2026 at 03:14, Kimmo Virtanen via Wikimedia-l < [email protected]> wrote: > > Many of you have likely already seen the Wikimedia Foundation's > announcement that the Community Tech team is being dissolved and that fiv= e > engineers and one manager are losing their roles as part of a restructuri= ng > of the Community Wishlist process. > > Based on previous years' experience, WMF software development teams focus > on specific tasks and generally avoid tasks outside their immediate focus= . > This means for examplke that extensions such as Maps and Upload > Wizard largely lost support because the responsible team was dissolved. T= he > Community Tech team also handled tasks that did not specifically fall und= er > any other team's responsibility. (such as > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_Wishlist but not only that, for > example, the Upload Wizard was afaik picked up by community tech) > > In any case I would have liked to see that number of Community Tech peopl= e > would have increase instead of decrease. > > Br, > -- Kimmo Virtanen, Zache > > On Fri, May 22, 2026 at 9:15=E2=80=AFPM Jaluj Wikipedista via All-affilia= tes < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> I understand the anguish of those who will lose a paid job but I don't >> see why the volunteers who have never been paid for their work and are t= he >> ones who build wikipedia and sister projects should be bothered that >> Community Tech will become a cross-team program rather than a dedicated >> team. >> >> El vie, 22 may 2026 a las 14:04, James Heilman via All-affiliates (< >> [email protected]>) escribi=C3=B3: >> >>> I always thought we should double the community tech team. One for >>> Wikipedia and one for the sister projects. >>> >>> I guess the question is should the community try to take on this work? >>> With movement funds of course. >>> >>> J >>> >>> >>> Sent from Gmail Mobile >>> >>> On Thu, May 21, 2026 at 22:30 Nemoralis via All-affiliates < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Fellow Wikimedians, >>>> >>>> Many of you have likely already seen the Wikimedia Foundation's >>>> announcement that the Community Tech team is being dissolved and that = five >>>> engineers and one manager are losing their roles as part of a restruct= uring >>>> of the Community Wishlist process. >>>> >>>> The official explanation is that Community Tech will become a >>>> cross-team "program" rather than a dedicated team, and that this model= will >>>> supposedly allow more teams to work on community wishes. However, many >>>> editors, functionaries, and technical contributors across Wikimedia >>>> projects have raised serious concerns about both the substance and tim= ing >>>> of this decision. >>>> >>>> Several issues are driving alarm within the community: >>>> >>>> =E2=80=A2 The Community Tech team was one of the few WMF engineering g= roups >>>> explicitly focused on community-requested technical work. >>>> =E2=80=A2 The engineers affected include highly experienced contributo= rs with >>>> deep institutional and community knowledge, including former stewards = and >>>> longtime technical volunteers. >>>> =E2=80=A2 WMF leadership has stated that this is not a budget reductio= n, which >>>> raises the question of why layoffs were necessary at all instead of >>>> reassignment. >>>> =E2=80=A2 The restructuring was announced amid ongoing organizing effo= rts >>>> connected to Wiki Workers United (WWU), leading many contributors to f= ear >>>> retaliation or union-busting behavior, regardless of WMF denials. >>>> =E2=80=A2 There is currently little concrete information about account= ability, >>>> staffing, or ownership under the new =E2=80=9Cprogram=E2=80=9D structu= re. >>>> >>>> This is no longer being viewed by many contributors as merely an >>>> internal staffing change. It is increasingly seen as part of a broader >>>> pattern of disconnect between WMF leadership and the volunteer communi= ties >>>> that build and maintain Wikimedia projects. >>>> >>>> In response, editors have begun organizing solidarity actions and a >>>> strike mandate petition expressing willingness to support Wiki Workers >>>> United if collective action becomes necessary. >>>> >>>> The petition is not itself a strike. It is a statement that >>>> contributors are prepared to stand in solidarity with Wikimedia worker= s and >>>> defend community accountability if requested. >>>> >>>> You can read the ongoing discussions here: >>>> >>>> - >>>> >>>> >>>> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Community_Wishlist#May_20_upda= te >>>> - >>>> >>>> https://w.wiki/Nt5V >>>> >>>> If you are concerned about: >>>> >>>> - >>>> >>>> the future of community-driven technical development, >>>> - >>>> >>>> the treatment of Wikimedia staff, >>>> - >>>> >>>> possible anti-union retaliation, >>>> - >>>> >>>> or the growing disconnect between WMF leadership and the editing >>>> community, >>>> >>>> please consider joining the discussion, spreading awareness, and >>>> signing the solidarity petition. >>>> >>>> Take action: https://wikiworkersunited.org/take-action-community/ >>>> Sign the petition: https://w.wiki/Nt5n >>>> >>>> In solidarity, >>>> Nemoralis >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> All-affiliates mailing list -- [email protected] >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to >>>> all-affiliates-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM0B+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> All-affiliates mailing list -- [email protected] >>> To unsubscribe send an email to all-affiliates-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM8Xa4x6EXUF0@public.gmane.org= g >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> All-affiliates mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to all-affiliates-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM0B+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org >> > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia-l mailing list -- [email protected], guidelines > at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l > Public archives at > https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]= rg/message/VIGJ4DD5NTO5CWF2ZJNTEK5KTYPSZIDV/ > To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM0B+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org --=20 Boodarwun Gnangarra 'ngany dabakarn koorliny arn boodjera dardon nlangan Nyungar koortabodjar' --000000000000573ae70652727403 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:georgia,= serif">What I find troubling is that the Community Tech caught a lot of tas= ks that have fallen through the gaps between teams or when teams have been = remodelled and staff moved to new areas.</div><div class=3D"gmail_default" = style=3D"font-family:georgia,serif"><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" = style=3D"font-family:georgia,serif">What is most troubling is that the team= being laid off and told to apply for new positions within the new hiring f= ramework that mean some of these will be ineligible=C2=A0under the current = hiring policies. When those change were announced it was said that existing= =C2=A0employees would not be affect yet here we are only a couple of months= past that and it to being applied to existing=C2=A0employees.<br><br>While= 10,000's of are just volunteers every staff loss is painful especially= highly experienced technical staff because we know that it the front end a= nd volunteers who sufffer=C2=A0from these changes.=C2=A0 If the new CEO wan= ts to rattle employee cages dont do it to the detriment=C2=A0on the communi= ty thats make these project viable.</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quot= e gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sat, 23 M= ay 2026 at 03:14, Kimmo Virtanen via Wikimedia-l <<a href=3D"mailto:wiki= [email protected]">[email protected]</a>> wrote:= <br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8= ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr= ">> Many of you have likely already seen the Wikimedia Foundation's = announcement that the Community Tech team is being dissolved and that five = engineers and one manager are losing their roles as part of a restructuring= of the Community Wishlist process.<div><br></div><div>Based on previous ye= ars' experience, WMF software development teams focus on specific tasks= and generally avoid tasks outside their immediate focus. This means for ex= amplke that extensions=C2=A0such as Maps and Upload Wizard=C2=A0largely los= t support because the responsible team was dissolved. The Community Tech te= am also handled tasks that did not specifically fall under any other team&#= 39;s responsibility. =C2=A0(such as=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://meta.wikimedia.= org/wiki/Community_Wishlist" target=3D"_blank">https://meta.wikimedia.org/w= iki/Community_Wishlist</a> but not only that, for example, the Upload Wizar= d was afaik picked up by community tech)</div><div><br></div><div>In any ca= se I would have liked to see that number of Community Tech people would hav= e increase instead of decrease.</div><div><br></div><div>Br,</div><div>-- K= immo Virtanen, Zache</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"= ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Fri, May 22, 2026 at 9:15=E2=80=AFPM Jaluj Wik= ipedista via All-affiliates <<a href=3D"mailto:all-affiliates-RusutVdil2iUmLTBS4g/[email protected]= media.org" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>> wro= te:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px = 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"= ltr">I understand the anguish of those who will lose a paid job but I don&#= 39;t see why the volunteers who have never been paid for their work and are= the ones who build wikipedia and sister projects should be bothered that C= ommunity Tech will become a cross-team program rather than a dedicated team= .=C2=A0</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail= _attr">El vie, 22 may 2026 a las 14:04, James Heilman via All-affiliates (&= lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">= [email protected]</a>>) escribi=C3=B3:<br></div><blockq= uote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1p= x solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"auto">I always thoug= ht we should double the community tech team. One for Wikipedia and one for = the sister projects.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">I g= uess the question is should the community try to take on this work? With mo= vement funds of course.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">= J</div><div><br clear=3D"all"><br clear=3D"all"><div><div dir=3D"ltr" class= =3D"gmail_signature">Sent from Gmail Mobile</div></div></div><div><br><div = class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, May 21,= 2026 at 22:30 Nemoralis via All-affiliates <<a href=3D"mailto:all-affil= [email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]= .org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"mar= gin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1= ex"><u></u> =20 =20 =20 <div> <p>Fellow Wikimedians,</p> <p>Many of you have likely already seen the Wikimedia Foundation's announcement that the Community Tech team is being dissolved and that five engineers and one manager are losing their roles as part of a restructuring of the Community Wishlist process.</p> <p>The official explanation is that Community Tech will become a cross-team "program" rather than a dedicated team, and that= this model will supposedly allow more teams to work on community wishes. However, many editors, functionaries, and technical contributors across Wikimedia projects have raised serious concerns about both the substance and timing of this decision.</p> <p>Several issues are driving alarm within the community:</p> <p>=E2=80=A2 The Community Tech team was one of the few WMF engineering groups explicitly focused on community-requested technical work.<br> =E2=80=A2 The engineers affected include highly experienced contribut= ors with deep institutional and community knowledge, including former stewards and longtime technical volunteers.<br> =E2=80=A2 WMF leadership has stated that this is not a budget reducti= on, which raises the question of why layoffs were necessary at all instead of reassignment.<br> =E2=80=A2 The restructuring was announced amid ongoing organizing eff= orts connected to Wiki Workers United (WWU), leading many contributors to fear retaliation or union-busting behavior, regardless of WMF denials.<br> =E2=80=A2 There is currently little concrete information about accountability, staffing, or ownership under the new =E2=80=9Cprogram= =E2=80=9D structure.</p> <p>This is no longer being viewed by many contributors as merely an internal staffing change. It is increasingly seen as part of a broader pattern of disconnect between WMF leadership and the volunteer communities that build and maintain Wikimedia projects.</p> <p>In response, editors have begun organizing solidarity actions and a strike mandate petition expressing willingness to support Wiki Workers United if collective action becomes necessary.</p> <p>The petition is not itself a strike. It is a statement that contributors are prepared to stand in solidarity with Wikimedia workers and defend community accountability if requested.</p> <p>You can read the ongoing discussions here:</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href=3D"https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Community_Wishli= st#May_20_update" target=3D"_blank">https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Co= mmunity_Wishlist#May_20_update</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href=3D"https://w.wiki/Nt5V" target=3D"_blank">https://w.wiki= /Nt5V</a></p> </li> </ul> <p>If you are concerned about:</p> <ul> <li> <p>the future of community-driven technical development,</p> </li> <li> <p>the treatment of Wikimedia staff,</p> </li> <li> <p>possible anti-union retaliation,</p> </li> <li> <p>or the growing disconnect between WMF leadership and the editing community,</p> </li> </ul> <p>please consider joining the discussion, spreading awareness, and signing the solidarity petition.<br> <br> Take action: <a href=3D"https://wikiworkersunited.org/take-action-com= munity/" target=3D"_blank">https://wikiworkersunited.org/take-action-commun= ity/</a><br> Sign the petition: <a href=3D"https://w.wiki/Nt5n" target=3D"_blank">= https://w.wiki/Nt5n</a></p> <p>In solidarity,<br> Nemoralis</p> <br> </div> _______________________________________________<br> All-affiliates mailing list -- <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]= edia.org" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a><br> To unsubscribe send an email to <a href=3D"mailto:all-affiliates-leave@list= s.wikimedia.org" target=3D"_blank">all-affiliates-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM0B+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org= </a><br> </blockquote></div></div> _______________________________________________<br> All-affiliates mailing list -- <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]= edia.org" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a><br> To unsubscribe send an email to <a href=3D"mailto:all-affiliates-leave@list= s.wikimedia.org" target=3D"_blank">all-affiliates-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM0B+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org= </a><br> </blockquote></div> _______________________________________________<br> All-affiliates mailing list -- <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]= edia.org" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a><br> To unsubscribe send an email to <a href=3D"mailto:all-affiliates-leave@list= s.wikimedia.org" target=3D"_blank">all-affiliates-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM0B+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org= </a><br> </blockquote></div> _______________________________________________<br> Wikimedia-l mailing list -- <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]= rg" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>, guidelines at: <= a href=3D"https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines" rel=3D"= noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists= /Guidelines</a> and <a href=3D"https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l"= rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikim= edia-l</a><br> Public archives at <a href=3D"https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/w= [email protected]/message/VIGJ4DD5NTO5CWF2ZJNTEK5KTYPSZIDV/" r= el=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/= list/[email protected]/message/VIGJ4DD5NTO5CWF2ZJNTEK5KTYPSZI= DV/</a><br> To unsubscribe send an email to <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]= ikimedia.org" target=3D"_blank">wikimedia-l-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM0B+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org</a></= blockquote></div><div><br clear=3D"all"></div><div><br></div><span class=3D= "gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_sign= ature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">= <div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div di= r=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div style=3D"font-family:georg= ia,serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font style=3D"vertical-align:inherit"><font = style=3D"vertical-align:inherit"><font style=3D"vertical-align:inherit"><fo= nt style=3D"vertical-align:inherit">Boodarwun</font></font></font></font><b= r><font style=3D"vertical-align:inherit"><font style=3D"vertical-align:inhe= rit"><font style=3D"vertical-align:inherit"><font style=3D"vertical-align:i= nherit">Gnangarra</font></font></font></font></div><div style=3D"font-famil= y:georgia,serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font style=3D"vertical-align:inherit"= ><font style=3D"vertical-align:inherit"><font style=3D"vertical-align:inher= it"><font style=3D"vertical-align:inherit">'ngany dabakarn koorliny arn= boodjera dardon nlangan Nyungar koortabodjar'</font></font></font></fo= nt></div></div><div><i style=3D"text-align:center">=C2=A0=C2=A0</i></div></= div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> --000000000000573ae70652727403-- --===============5460295689989202108== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list -- [email protected], guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia-l Public archives at https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/message/JWUBZBE34NRR73U7VK7AD2QZ22DDET7Y/ To unsubscribe send an email to wikimedia-l-leave-RusutVdil2icGmH+5r0DM0B+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org --===============5460295689989202108==--