London Google Workers Stage Walkout

Hundreds of Google employees in London staged a walkout following a dispute over layoffs.

13:37 15 May 2023

Hundreds of Google employees in London staged a walkout in April following the firm's announcement to lay off 12,000 employees worldwide, which represents 6per cent of its global workforce. 

The move follows a wave of job cuts across corporate America, which has so far seen companies shedding more than 290,000 workers since the start of 2023. 

Unite regional officer Matt Whaley said: “Our members are clear: Google needs to listen to its own advice of not being evil,”

“They and Unite will not back down until Google allows workers full union representation, engages properly with the consultation process and treats its staff with the respect and dignity they deserve.”

A Google employee attending the protest said: "It has been difficult for those involved. We have a redundancy process for a reason, so that employees can make their voice heard," they said. But it feels as if our concerns have fallen on deaf ears."

Meanwhile, a Google spokesperson said: “As we said on January 20, we’ve made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce by approximately 12,000 roles globally. We know this is a very challenging time for our employees,”

“In the UK, we have been constructively engaging and listening to our employees through numerous meetings, and are working hard to bring them clarity and share updates as soon as we can in adherence with all UK processes and legal requirements.”