Jesse Jackson says more pressure needed on tech firms

Calling the battle for job parity "the fourth stage of the civil rights movement," the Rev. Jesse Jackson said technology companies have both a moral obligation and an economic incentive to create a more diverse workforce.

"Those companies that don't see the black and brown communities are missing, out of their closed eye, talent, which leads to money and growth," Rev Jackson said. "When baseball, football and basketball couldn't see the field, they missed talent and growth. The same is true in the tech industry. We want to see goals, targets and time tables, even congressional hearings." "They run a rather segregated outfit there in the Valley, and the fact is there hasn't been much pressure on them from the government," he said. "We still await the government having hearings on EEOC (Equal Opportunity Employment Commission) compliance, to expose how paltry these companies are in terms of diversity. (Tech companies) get tax cuts, they have off shore tax monies, they bring in H-1B workers from abroad (under special visas), and that's all outside the realm of bringing justice to the country."