Key facts
- Nearly 100 Google employees protested job security at the company's Mountain View headquarters.
- The Alphabet Workers Union, with around 1,400 members, organized the protest.
- A petition was delivered to CEO Sundar Pichai and three senior executives.
- The petition demands voluntary exits before layoffs, guaranteed severance standards, and an end to performance quotas.
- Google has conducted several rounds of layoffs since 2022, affecting thousands of employees.
Nearly 100 Google employees gathered at the company's Mountain View headquarters on Thursday to protest job security and demand stronger protections against layoffs. The Alphabet Workers Union, representing approximately 1,400 members, organized the demonstration.
During the protest, union president Parul Koul addressed the crowd, stating their demands for voluntary exit packages before mandatory layoffs, guaranteed severance standards, and an end to performance quotas. The union also presented a petition with over 4,500 signatures to CEO Sundar Pichai and other senior executives.
The protest highlights a growing concern for job security across the tech industry, with companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft having implemented significant layoffs since 2022. Google itself laid off 12,000 employees in 2023 and has conducted subsequent smaller rounds of cuts.
Employees described a workplace marked by anxiety over potential layoffs, tougher performance systems, and the impact of AI on job roles. Some workers expressed gratitude for still having their jobs but felt pressured to work longer hours to avoid negative performance ratings. The union has been advocating for these changes since early 2025, attempting to deliver their petition to Pichai previously.
Google has historically seen employee activism on various issues, including ethical concerns and corporate policies. Past actions include protests against AI contracts, walkouts over sexual misconduct allegations, and demonstrations against cloud-computing contracts with governments.