Dozens of former Google workers have lodged a complaint with the US National Labor Relations Board after being terminated or put on administrative leave for protesting the company's cloud-computing contract with Israel's government. The complaint alleges that Google retaliated against the workers for engaging in protected concerted activity through a peaceful protest related to their terms and conditions of work.
The workers are seeking reinstatement of their jobs and back pay, as stated by the group No Tech for Apartheid, which includes Google and Amazon employees involved in organizing the protest. Google defended its actions, citing the protests as disruptive and making other employees feel threatened and unsafe.
Last month's protests included sit-ins at Google's offices in New York City and Sunnyvale, California, with employees entering the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, according to No Tech for Apartheid. The group claimed that 50 Google employees were terminated in connection with the protests, some of whom were allegedly non-participating bystanders.
While Google maintains that the fired employees were directly involved in disruptive activities, affected workers argue that they should not have been dismissed for protesting the company's actions. The protests stem from concerns over Google's cloud-computing deal with Israel's government, amid ongoing conflict in the region that has resulted in significant casualties.
CEO Sundar Pichai addressed the situation in a company-wide memo, urging employees to refrain from bringing politics into the workplace and emphasizing the importance of maintaining a professional environment. The incident reflects broader tensions surrounding corporate involvement in politically sensitive issues and the rights of employees to engage in protected activism.
