Professionalism/Labor Organizing at Google

Motivation Unionization efforts in Big Tech are often met with confusion: “Why would employees at a company famous for high salaries and free lunches want a union?” De Vynck Gerrit April 30, 2021 Six things to know about the latest efforts to bring unions to Big Tech https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/01/26/tech-unions-explainer/ The Washington Post While workers in retail typically unionize to improve wages and working conditions, workers in Big Tech often unionize to demand stronger policies against sexual harassment and discrimination and accountability for their company’s unethical uses of technology. The most prominent unionization efforts in Big Tech have come from Google employees. Several of these employees recall joining Google with the simple mantra and founding slogan “Don’t be evil,” which motivated them to create technology to benefit society and make the world better and more equal. As Google poorly responded to sexual harassment charges and engaged in controversial business decisions, many Google employees realized their pledge was not consistent with the decisions made by their company’s senior executives.LaJeunesse Ross Jan 2, 2020 I Was Google’s Head of International Relations. Here’s Why I Left. https://medium.com/@rossformaine/i-was-googles-head-of-international-relations-here-s-why-i-left-49313d23065 Medium Walkout for Real Change In 2018, The New York Times reported that Google had protected several senior executives accused of sexual misconduct, including Android founder Andy Rubin, who was paid $90 million in severance after he left the company.Wakabayashi Daisuke Benner Katie Oct 25, 2018 How Google Protected Andy Rubin, the ‘Father of Android’ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/25/technology/google-sexual-harassment-andy-rubin.html The New York Times A week later, Google employees organized a “Walkout for Real Change” in protest of sexual harassment and Google’s history of pay discrimination and systemic racism.Ghaffary Shirin Johnson Eric Nov 21, 2018 After 20,000 workers walked out, Google said it got the message. The workers disagree. https://www.vox.com/2018/11/21/18105719/google-walkout-real-change-organizers-protest-discrimination-kara-swisher-recode-decode-podcast Vox Around 20,000 Google employees from across the globe took part in the protest and compiled a list of five demands: end Forced Arbitration in cases of harassment and discrimination, a commitment to end pay and opportunity inequity, a publicly disclosed sexual harassment transparency report, a clear, uniform, and globally inclusive process for reporting sexual misconduct safely and anonymously, and to elevate the Chief Diversity Officer to answer directly to the CEO.Mathur Natasha Nov 1, 2018 Google employees ‘Walkout for Real Change’ today. These are their demands. https://hub.packtpub.com/google-employees-walkout-for-real-change-today-these-are-their-demands/ Packt Claire Stapleton, then marketing manager at YouTube, lamented that Google “did not ever address, acknowledge, the list of demands, nor did they adequately provide solutions to all the five." Stapleton mentions Google “did drop forced arbitration, but for sexual harassment only, not discrimination, which was a key omission. Nothing was addressed regarding TVCs [contract workers] ... I think we didn’t see accountability in action.” Union Organization and Retaliation The Thanksgiving Five thumb|187x187px|Google Chrome logo, the web browser Katheryn Spiers modified to alert coworkers of organizing rights. In late 2019, five employees were fired by Google directly after their involvement in the organization and participation in petitions or protests against the company, most notably the Walkout for Real Change. One of these employees was Katheryn Spiers.Wong Julia Carrie 2019-12-17 Fifth Google worker-activist fired in a month says company is targeting the vulnerable en-GB The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/17/fifth-google-worker-activist-fired-in-a-month-says-company-is-targeting-the-vulnerable 2023-05-03 0261-3077 She was fired just three hours after she published a piece of code that notified employees of their organizing rights without keeping to the Google code approval process.Lee Timothy B. 2019-12-17 Engineer says Google fired her for browser pop-up about worker rights https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/12/engineer-says-google-fired-her-for-browser-pop-up-about-worker-rights/ 2023-05-03 Ars Technica en-us When interviewed about why she did it, she said “I had been involved in other workplace organizing in the past, but the reason I wanted to push this change was a combination of Google hiring IRI and four of my co-workers being fired the same day... I thought a lot of my co-workers could use a reminder of their rights.” IRI Consultants Shortly after the Walkout for Real Change, Google hired IRI ConsultantsScheiber Noam Wakabayashi Daisuke 2019-11-20 Google Hires Firm Known for Anti-Union Efforts en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/20/technology/Google-union-consultant.html 2023-05-03 0362-4331, an anti-union consulting firm known for shady tactics such as "collecting data on workers' personality, motivations, and work ethic to bust unions." While it is illegal under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 for companies and managers to spy on workers' labor organizing activity, IRI consultants train managers to gather and use data to advise managers on how to best manipulate workers into harboring resentment towards unions.'Lazy,' 'Money-Oriented,' 'Single Mother': How Union-Busting Firms Compile Dossiers on Employees https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkdqaz/lazy-money-oriented-single-mother-how-union-busting-firms-compile-dossiers-on-employees 2023-05-03 www.vice.com en A Google spokesperson told reporters that “No-one at Google, nor any consultant or firm who we've ever engaged or worked with, has done what you've described." Alphabet Workers Union History On January 4, 2021, Alphabet Workers Union (AWU) formed as a local chapter of the Communication Workers of America Union (CWA).2021-01-02 Google Workers, Demanding Change at Work, Are Launching a Union With the Communications Workers of America https://alphabetworkersunion.org/press/releases/2021-01-04-code-cwa-google-union/ 2023-05-03 Alphabet Workers Union en-us Standing at 1400+ members as of 2023, AWU advocates for equality among full time employees and contract workers, a welcoming environment, project transparency, democratic decision-making, and overall ensuring that Alphabet, Google's parent company, acts ethically, referencing Google's founding slogan: "Don't Be Evil."Home https://alphabetworkersunion.org/ 2023-05-03 Alphabet Workers Union en-us2021-01-01 Our mission https://alphabetworkersunion.org/principles/mission-statement/ 2023-05-03 Alphabet Workers Union en-us Challenges Unlike traditional unions, minority unions cannot enroll a majority of a work force and petition a state or federal labor board like the National Labor Relations Board to hold an election. Therefore, they legally cannot bargain with their employer on a contract. Instead, the AWU can use other tactics to pressure Google into changing its policies, labor experts said. According to Kate Conger, a technology reporter at the New York Times, "Minority unions often turn to public pressure campaigns and lobby legislative or regulatory bodies to influence employers."Conger Kate 2021-01-04 Hundreds of Google Employees Unionize, Culminating Years of Activism en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/04/technology/google-employees-union.html 2023-05-03 0362-4331 Controversial business decisions Google also has a history of engaging in controversial business practices. In 2015, Google hosted applications of the Saudi government, including an app called Absher that allowed men to track and control the movement of their female family members. Google received backlash from human rights activists and lawmakers for carrying the app, but it is still available on the Google app store.Sydell Laura Feb 12, 2019 Apple, Google Criticized For Carrying App That Lets Saudi Men Track Their Wives https://www.npr.org/2019/02/12/693994447/apple-google-criticized-for-carrying-app-that-lets-saudi-men-track-their-wives NPR In 2017, Google secretly developed a censored search engine for users in China, code-named “Dragonfly,” catering to the Chinese government’s censorship demands. About 1,400 Google employees signed a letter to company executives requesting more details about the project and demanding employees get more transparency and input on future decisions.Campbell Alexia Sep 25, 2018 Google’s censored search engine for China is sparking a moral crisis within the company https://www.vox.com/2018/9/25/17901252/google-employee-dragonfly-china-project Vox In a senate judiciary hearing in 2019, Google confirmed the project had been terminated.Su Jeb Jul 19, 2019 Confirmed: Google Terminated Project Dragonfly, Its Censored Chinese Search Engine https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeanbaptiste/2019/07/19/confirmed-google-terminated-project-dragonfly-its-censored-chinese-search-engine/?sh=7e3961b87e84 Forbes Google employees, enraged that their executives prioritized profits over human rights, felt the company’s slogan “Don’t be evil” was no longer a reflection of the company’s values; it had become nothing more than another corporate marketing tool. Workers looked to unionize to hold Google accountable for unethical uses of their technology. AWU Organizing Efforts In a survey conducted of 1,853 Alphabet contractor's workersAlphabet Workers Union-CWA Conducts Largest Google Vendor Survey Revealing Google Hypocrisy & Grave Disparities Amongst Workers Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) https://code-cwa.org/stories/alphabet-workers-union-cwa-conducts-largest 2023-05-07 code-cwa.org en AWU discovered that Alphabet's wages and benefits standards were provided to contracted workers, unlike what Alphabet promisedUS Wages & Benefits Standards - Alphabet/Google Suppliers Help https://support.google.com/corporate-suppliers/answer/10208902?hl=en 2023-05-07 support.google.com. As part of AWU's mission to "ensure Alphabet acts ethically"2021-01-01 Our mission https://alphabetworkersunion.org/principles/mission-statement/ 2023-05-07 Alphabet Workers Union en-us AWU has pressured Alphabet and their contracted companies to provide promised worker privileges and protections. Modis In 2021 Shannon Wait, a worker at a Google data center, was suspended from her job after posting on Facebook about worker condtions including not receiving hazard pay and water breaks2021-04-07 The woman who took on Google and won en-GB BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56659212 2023-05-07. The AWU filed cases to the National Labor Relations Board on her behalf and overturned her suspension with Alphabet confirming that employees "have the right to discuss wage rates, bonuses, and working conditions". This success allowed unionized Modis data center workers to organize an emailing campaign forcing Modis to resume paying their promised $200 bonus for each full week they workedWakabayashi Daisuke 2021-11-05 Google Temps Fought Loss of Pandemic Bonus. And Won. en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/05/technology/google-workers.html 2023-05-07 0362-4331. BOLD Internship Program Tyrese Thomas and Jacob Ngai, interns under Google's BOLD internship program, were concerned with their ability to work remotely in their houses with Ngai "sharing a room with [his] brother" and having "constant Wi-Fi issues"Kramer Anna Google interns make more money thanks to union, petitions - Protocol https://www.protocol.com/policy/google-interns-won-stipend 2023-05-07 www.protocol.com en. They, with the advice of AWU organizer Raksha Muthukumar on how to write and convince interns to sign their petition, secured a $5,000 stipend for interns to use "however they deem best, including their WFH experience". Cognizant Google Maps workers, concerned by the "unsafe working conditions" from Cognizant's June 6th 2022 return to office order, worked with AWU to pressure Cognizant to extend the deadlineSeitz Jacob 2022-06-03 Google Maps contract workers win delayed return to office date https://www.dailydot.com/debug/google-maps-return-to-office/ 2023-05-07 The Daily Dot en-US. After over 70% of workers signed a petition and threatened a strike, Cognizant extended their return to office deadline by 90 days. RaterLabs In May 2022, RaterLabs workers, who responsible for rating Google search ads' quality, and the AWU petitioned Google's vice president to increase their pay to Alphabet's basic pay standard of $15 per hourIn Response to Worker Demands—Thousands of Alphabet Contract Workers Secure Historic Pay Raise Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA) https://code-cwa.org/stories/response-worker-demands-thousands-alphabet 2023-05-07 code-cwa.org en. Through this petition and repeated meetings with RaterLabs management, the AWU was able to secure a pay raise to $14-$14.50 per hour from $10 per hour. YouTube Music YouTube Music workers became the 2nd fully AWU unionized workplaceYouTube Music contractors vote to unionize https://www.engadget.com/youtube-music-content-operations-contractors-union-184653045.html 2023-05-07 Engadget en-US in October 2022 preceded by 10 Google Fiber workers unionizing their workplace in MarchHarrington Caitlin Google Fiber Workers Vote to Unionize en-US Wired https://www.wired.com/story/google-fiber-union/ 2023-05-07 1059-1028. After unionization, the AWU alleges that Cognizant tried to break the union by requiring all workers to return to their office by Febuary 20232023-01-24 YouTube Illegally Uses Return-to-Office Push to Derail Union, Complaint Claims en Bloomberg.com https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-24/youtube-uses-return-to-office-push-to-undercut-union-group-says 2023-05-07. To resist the order, YouTube Music workers organized a strikeSilberling Amanda 2023-02-03 YouTube Music contractors strike over alleged unfair labor practices https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/03/youtube-music-contractors-strike-over-alleged-unfair-labor-practices/ 2023-05-07 TechCrunch en-US with the AWU offering support and spreading the links to the strike's GoFundMe and fundraising album2023-01-31 YouTube Music Content Operations https://alphabetworkersunion.org/campaigns/youtube-music/ 2023-05-07 Alphabet Workers Union en-us. Google's 2023 Layoffs On January 20th, 2023, Alphabet announce that 12,000 Google employees were fired, with many of them first discovering their firing when they tried to log inThorbecke Clare Duffy,Catherine 2023-03-20 Google was beloved as an employer for years. Then it laid off thousands by email CNN Business https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/20/tech/google-layoffs-employee-culture/index.html 2023-05-07 CNN en. Google workers in countries with workers councils, like France and Germany, were able to prevent the firing of their employees2023-04-06 Google and Amazon Struggle to Lay Off Workers in Europe en Bloomberg.com https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-06/google-and-amazon-struggle-to-lay-off-workers-in-europe 2023-05-07 while other European workers organized walkouts with their respective unions in response to Google's layoffsCoulter Martin 2023-04-04 Google workers in London stage walkout over job cuts en Reuters https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-workers-london-stage-walkout-over-job-cuts-2023-04-04/ 2023-05-07Tabahriti Sam Hundreds of Google workers in Zurich walked out after 200 of their colleagues got laid off https://www.businessinsider.com/hundreds-google-workers-walk-out-zurich-protest-over-layoffs-2023-3 2023-05-07 Business Insider en-US. The AWU, being a minority union, was not able to negotiate with Alphabet to prevent Google's layoffs, but they were able to increase their notoriety through public campaigns. On the same day as the layoffs, the AWU protested in front of Google's New York office, hosted good-bye card write-a-thons, and created a discord server which offers financial and work related adviceDuff Meg 2023-02-09 Are 12,000 Layoffs Enough to Convince Googlers to Join a Union? en-US Slate https://slate.com/technology/2023/02/google-layoffs-union-alphabet-youtube-protest.html 2023-05-07 1091-2339Duffy Kate Laid-off Google employees are turning to a Discord server with nearly 18,000 members for emotional support and financial advice https://www.businessinsider.com/google-layoffs-employees-discord-emotional-support-financial-advice-job-2023-2 2023-05-07 Business Insider en-US. As a result of the layoffs and the increased union noteriety, Google employees in EuropeGoogle ‘forcing’ compulsory redundancies in Dublin rather than offering voluntary schemes, union claims https://www.independent.ie/business/technology/google-forcing-compulsory-redundancies-in-dublin-rather-than-offering-voluntary-schemes-union-claims/42400020.html 2023-05-07 Independent.ie en and United States have increased unionization resulting in the AWU growing to over 1,400 members as of May 20232020-12-15 Our union https://alphabetworkersunion.org/people/our-union/ 2023-05-07 Alphabet Workers Union en-us. References