Nowhere in the article is the viewpoint that they’re going to change ICEs conduct mentioned. Inventing opposing viewpoints is one of the lowest rhetorical devices, and I really wish people would post with more care around here.
As for “only being symbolic”, no, it wouldn’t. It would allow workers to be in an environment where their work supports their values. A lot of these workers are going to leave the org to go work for a company that doesn’t so conflict with their values, as is absolutely their prerogative in a free labor market. This is actually a mature way to let GitHub understand the full costs of their actions, so that they can make an informed decision. There’s literally no problem here, this is a functioning labor dynamic.
As for “only being symbolic”, no, it wouldn’t. It would allow workers to be in an environment where their work supports their values. A lot of these workers are going to leave the org to go work for a company that doesn’t so conflict with their values, as is absolutely their prerogative in a free labor market. This is actually a mature way to let GitHub understand the full costs of their actions, so that they can make an informed decision. There’s literally no problem here, this is a functioning labor dynamic.