Anti-Trump Employees Put Their Bosses in the Hot Seat

Only hours after IBM Chief Executive Officer Ginni Rometty congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory and offered to work with him on economic goals, IBM software engineer Daniel Hanley drafted a petition. The document urged Rometty to “do what’s right for IBMers,” including “respect our right to refuse to participate in any government contracts that violate constitutional and civil liberties.” The petition now has more than 1,600 signatures.

Since Trump took charge at the White House, executives at companies including the Cleveland Clinic, Facebook, and Uber have come under internal pressure to answer for not just their policies but their politics. Employees like Hanley are pushing top bosses to sever their personal or professional ties to the administration, registering their dissent with protests, walkouts, and open letters. A handful have even resigned.