Former employees of Google GOOGL have accused the tech giant of unlawful termination. The employees claim that Google dismissed approximately 50 staff members who were protesting its cloud contract with the Israeli government.
What Happened: The workers complained to the U.S. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) late Monday, Reuters reported. They allege that Google violated their rights under U.S. labor law to advocate for better working conditions by terminating them.
The workers argue that Project Nimbus supports Israel’s military tool development. Google, however, maintains that the Nimbus contract “is not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.”
Zelda Montes, a former Google employee arrested during a Project Nimbus protest, accused Google of firing workers to suppress organizing and send a message to its workforce that dissent would not be tolerated.
“Google is attempting to instill fear in employees,” Montes said.
The workers involved in the NLRB complaint are seeking reinstatement to their jobs with back pay and a statement from Google affirming it will not violate workers’ rights to organize.
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Why It Matters: This incident follows a series of events that began with Google’s decision to terminate 28 employees following sit-in protests at Google's New York and California offices. The protests were against Google's involvement in Project Nimbus.
The company stated last week that about 20 more workers were dismissed for protesting the contract at the office.
Google defended its actions, stating that the workers’ behavior was “completely unacceptable” and made others feel threatened and unsafe. The company reiterated that every individual whose employment was terminated was directly involved in disruption inside their buildings.
Later, Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, announced a restructuring of Google's devices and mobile software divisions in an email. Pichai emphasized the need for focus, collaboration, and respectful disagreements within the company.
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