Google broke U.S. law by spying on workers who had organized protests and firing two of them in retaliation, the National Labor Relations Board alleges in a complaint filed Wednesday, according to the Worker Agency, an advocacy group representing labor campaigns.
Why it matters: The complaint is a major rebuff to practices at Google, a behemoth that's seen its share of worker discontent over its contracts and internal policies.
Background: Two Google workers, Laurence Berland and Kathryn Spiers, were fired last year amid worker protests over some of Google's military contracts and treatment of employees.
- The NLRB complaint alleges that Google unlawfully surveilled, suspended and interrogated workers for organizing.
- The NLRB did not find that Berland or Spiers broke any company rules.
- Google worked with IRI Consultants, a union-busting firm, as worker organizing was bubbling up last year.
The other side: “Google has always worked to support a culture of internal discussion, and we place immense trust in our employees," a Google spokesperson said. "Of course employees have protected labor rights that we strongly support, but we have always taken information security very seriously."
- "We’re confident in our decision and legal position. Actions undertaken by the employees at issue were a serious violation of our policies and an unacceptable breach of a trusted responsibility.”
