Google Launches Labor Union... First Among Big Tech Companies

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Employees of the global information technology (IT) company Google and its parent company Alphabet have formed a labor union. This is the first among big tech companies located in Silicon Valley.

According to major foreign media including the Associated Press (AP) on the 4th (local time), Google employees, in solidarity with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), established the "Alphabet Union," named after their parent company Alphabet. The union formation was announced when Pargul Koul, chairperson of the Alphabet Workers Union, and Chuwi Sho, vice chairperson, published an op-ed in The New York Times (NYT) about the union's establishment.

Google is known as a global company with a flexible working environment and high welfare standards, but some employees have expressed dissatisfaction regarding discriminatory treatment.

The union formation is reported to have been organized by individuals who have voiced opposition within Google since 2018. The Alphabet Union announced that it was formed to prevent unilateral decision-making by management, inequality, gender discrimination, and retaliation. The union currently consists of about 226 members out of 140,000 employees worldwide, which is not yet large enough to engage in official negotiations with management. However, it is considered exceptional as it is the first union formed among big tech companies based in Silicon Valley.

The Alphabet Union stated that it will collect 1% of members' income as union dues to be used for all union activities, including strikes.

In response to the union's launch, Google stated, "As we always have, we will communicate directly with all employees," indicating that it does not intend to negotiate directly with the union.

The union does not expect immediate collective bargaining with management but aims to be officially recognized as a formal organization in the future.

Pargul Koul, executive director of the Alphabet Union, said, "We make Google," and added, "We will strive to create an environment where workers can work with fair wages without fear of discrimination."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.