Google employees have banded together to form an international union alliance, weeks after the formation of the minority Alphabet Workers Union in the US.
This new international entity, called Alpha Global, has been formed with the UNI Global Union, a movement representing more than 20 million workers worldwide, and which is active in 10 countries, including the US, Germany, Sweden, and the UK.
It isn't clear how many temporary or contract workers with Google have joined Alpha Global, and it is likely to be a small fraction of the company's workforce at this stage. The Verge, which first reported the new union alliance, reports that the new entity won't have any legal bargaining power with Google.
Similarly in the US, the Alphabet Workers Union is a minority union meaning it cannot bargain with management and is not recognized by the US National Labor Relations board. It has more than 600 members, out of Google's estimated 130,000 contractors and temp workers.
Still, the emergence of Alpha Global indicates that white-collar workers at big tech firms are looking to cement an emerging wave of organization.
In a joint statement published on Monday, Alpha Global's officials said: "[Many] Alphabet workers have started on a path to unionization and collective bargaining. Workers are building democratic organizations to represent their interests, to struggle collectively, to create a structural counterbalance to corporate power, and to build a movement of tech workers across the industry."
They accused Google of "suppressing speech and cracking down on worker organizing while consolidating monopolistic power."
Are you a current or former Googler with more to share? You can contact this reporter securely using the encrypted messaging app Signal (+447801985586) or email (mcoulter@jkmperu.com). Reach out using a nonwork device.
"A just Alphabet has wide-ranging implications for our democracies and societies. That is why we are joining together to demand fundamental human rights for all workers in Alphabet operations, including the right to form or join a union and the right to bargain collectively."
So far, the Alphabet Workers Union has proven to be something of a PR headache for Google. It has particularly spoken out about the departure of Timnit Gebru, technical co-lead of Google's ethical-artificial-intelligence team, after she said she was fired. It also criticized the subsequent, related investigation into Margaret Mitchell, another senior AI ethicist within Google's ranks.
In a statement, Kara Silverstein, Google's director of people operations, told Insider: "We've always worked hard to create a supportive and rewarding workplace. We'll continue to engage directly with all our employees."
