Google terminated 28 employees following protests staged by a small group of Alphabet workers against the tech giant’s collaboration with Israel. The protests, which occurred at Google offices in New York and California, centred around Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract between Google and Amazon providing services to the Israeli government.
The employees, who occupied Google offices in Sunnyvale, California, and New York City, faced consequences for what Google deemed as a violation of company policies. The sit-ins disrupted regular operations, prompting Google to take action.
The company emphasised that obstructing coworkers’ work and impeding access to company facilities were clear violations of company policy, leading to the termination of the protesting employees.
During the protests, nine workers were arrested after they refused to leave the premises, with five arrests in Sunnyvale and four in New York. Charges ranged from criminal trespassing in New York to receiving citations for trespassing in Sunnyvale.
However, charges were yet to be filed, according to the district attorney’s office in Santa Clara County.
The company described the protests as “extremely disruptive,” emphasising that they had made coworkers feel threatened. Despite the disruptions caused by the protests, Google stated that it would thoroughly investigate the matter and take necessary action.
With a workforce of 1,82,502 employees as of 31 December, the termination of 28 employees marks a significant development within the tech giant. The incident underscores the challenges companies face when internal protests clash with business operations and partnerships.
