Google has reportedly fired a team of contractors who were on a union strike against the company. According to a report from The Verge. The Alphabet Workers Union-CWA, which represents YouTube Music contractors, claims Google terminated its contract after the strike was extended.
The affected group was made up of moderators hired by Google contractor Cognizant in Austin, Texas, and was responsible for vetting music content on YouTube Music.
In a statement provided to The Verge, Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini said the decision to terminate the team’s contract rested with Cognizant and Google had no involvement in it. Mencini emphasized that “contracts with suppliers across the country typically end at their natural expiry date.”
Last February, more than 40 members of the team went on strike to demand changes to Google’s return-to-work policy. The union stressed that many remote workers are paid as little as $19 an hour, making going to the office a financial burden.
Jeff Demarais, Cognizant’s chief communications officer, told The Verge in an email that affected employees will receive seven weeks’ pay and the opportunity to move to another role within Cognizant. I told him.
Google has previously argued that it has no obligation to negotiate with its employees because they are not direct employees of Google.
However, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled in March 2023 that Google’s control over benefits, working hours, and the nature of its contractors’ work qualifies it as a partial employer. Despite Google’s appeal, the NLRB upheld the decision in January. The tech giant still has the option of appealing to federal court.
Contractor and union member Jack Benedict expressed regret over the situation, telling The Verge: We have spent many years trying to get Google, one of the most powerful and resourceful companies in the world, to negotiate with us so that we can make a living in exchange for work improving Google’s products. I’ve been fighting. It is unfortunate that Google has chosen this path in the face of employees’ modest demands to be treated fairly on the job. ”
The affected group was made up of moderators hired by Google contractor Cognizant in Austin, Texas, and was responsible for vetting music content on YouTube Music.
In a statement provided to The Verge, Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini said the decision to terminate the team’s contract rested with Cognizant and Google had no involvement in it. Mencini emphasized that “contracts with suppliers across the country typically end at their natural expiry date.”
Last February, more than 40 members of the team went on strike to demand changes to Google’s return-to-work policy. The union stressed that many remote workers are paid as little as $19 an hour, making going to the office a financial burden.
Jeff Demarais, Cognizant’s chief communications officer, told The Verge in an email that affected employees will receive seven weeks’ pay and the opportunity to move to another role within Cognizant. I told him.
Google has previously argued that it has no obligation to negotiate with its employees because they are not direct employees of Google.
However, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled in March 2023 that Google’s control over benefits, working hours, and the nature of its contractors’ work qualifies it as a partial employer. Despite Google’s appeal, the NLRB upheld the decision in January. The tech giant still has the option of appealing to federal court.
Expanding
Contractor and union member Jack Benedict expressed regret over the situation, telling The Verge: We have spent many years trying to get Google, one of the most powerful and resourceful companies in the world, to negotiate with us so that we can make a living in exchange for work improving Google’s products. I’ve been fighting. It is unfortunate that Google has chosen this path in the face of employees’ modest demands to be treated fairly on the job. ”
