Opinion: Google is making a mistake when it comes to unions

On March 1st, 2024, Google fired a team of YouTube Music workers in the midst of an attempt at unionization, demanding better benefits and pay. The 43-person team previously went on strike in February of last year over Google’s crackdown on remote work, voting to unionize two months later. 

However, during the months since, Google has publicly refused to negotiate with the Alphabet Workers Union.The Austin based team, who worked for $19/hr without sick pay or benefits, spoke before the city council in hopes of accruing support for their negotiation efforts. In the council meeting which was recorded and live-streamed, one employee can be seen being interrupted by another mid-speech and informed that they’d been fired.

“Angered, that was the main feeling,” felt by Jack Benedict, a data analyst, who had been addressing the council when the news broke. A clip of the moment Benedict was informed of his termination was taken from the broadcast of the meeting and has gained traction online, spreading awareness of the Youtube Music worker’s efforts. Originally, the team had been hired through a contract with IT company Cognizant, whom throughout the negotiations Google shifted blame onto, claiming that they were responsible for the workers employment and working conditions. This would make Google not responsible for bargaining with the workers. Cognizant offered the workers seven weeks paid time to explore other roles at the company and use its resources. 

During March of last year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that due to the nature of the work both Google and Cognizant were considered joint employers of the team, making them both responsible for negotiations. In January of this year the NLRB followed up, sending a cease and desist calling out both Google and Cognizant for failing to bargain with the Union. The Alphabet Workers Union said Google hasn’t made any attempts to try and negotiate with either of their two bargaining units, as Google continues to deny responsibility for negotiating with the team. Google spokeswoman Courtenay Mencini had stated that “we simply believe it's only appropriate for Cognizant, as their employers, to engage in collective bargaining.” Cognizant refused to comment on the workers' claim, but gave the following statement “While we respect the right of our associates to unionize, our philosophy is that we work best together with direct open dialogue and collaboration,” said Bill Abelson, spokesman for Cognizant.

Sam Regan, another data analyst contractor for Youtube Music, was at the office with a couple coworkers while the others spoke at the City Council. He described their mood as suspicious when company leaders “coldy” informed the workers that the project was cut, and promptly said they had 20 minutes to take their belongings and leave. It was a very hostile termination as workers were informed if they were in the office after 20 minutes, they would be trespassing. Regan stated that he heard security call a non-emergency police line as he was the last one to leave. Regan called the whole ordeal “nasty” and said, “It simply was the most dehumanizing experience.” Cognizant had claimed that they terminated the team as their contract had ended on an intended date. Google would continue to shift responsibility onto Cognizant as a spokesperson for Google claimed that Cognizant was responsible for the employees and backed up Cognizant's termination stating “Contracts with our suppliers across the company routinely end on their natural expiry date, which was agreed to with Cognizant.” The workers' plans are to continue their fight. “That [city council video] clip is circulating all over the place, and we're seeing a lot of traction,” Benedict said “we're not going to sit back and let them do this.”

This situation is a prime example of corporate greed. It was a mistake on Google's part  to tray and save face by shifting blame. Both Cognizant and Google are to blame for their blatant disregard for the team's vote to unionize, and for ignoring their calls to negotiate. The NLRB had already recognized Google as a joint employer, and yet they continued to shift blame onto Cognizant all the way to the end, even disregarding a cease and desist in the process. Both Cognizant and Google should be held accountable for ignoring repeated attempts to negotiate with the team that had unionized.