By Natalia Rueda 
Google, a major tech company, is facing criticism from both its own employees and the general public for its treatment of workers and lack of ethical practices. In particular, the recent firing of a team from its YouTube Music department has sparked outrage and raised concerns about the company’s actions. The Alphabet Workers Union, which represents employees of Google’s parent company, has been actively advocating for better working conditions and ethical standards since its inception in April 2023.
The layoff of the YouTube Music team was brought to public attention when affected employees spoke at a meeting of the Austin City Council. The workers revealed that they had been dismissed from their positions with immediate effect, despite their hard work and contributions to the company’s success.
Google has faced similar backlash from its employees in the past. In 2023, there was a strike over the company’s stance on remote work, which was seen as a way to limit employees’ ability to unionize. The recent firing of the YouTube Music team has once again highlighted the discrepancy between Google’s massive profits and its treatment of its workers. Despite their important role in the company’s success, team members were only earning $19 an hour and receiving minimal benefits.
In response to the criticism, a Google spokesperson stated that the decision to terminate the workers was made by Cognizant, not Google. They also claimed that it is customary for contracts with suppliers to come to an end when their natural expiration date is reached. However, this explanation has not alleviated the mounting pressure on Alphabet and its CEO, with some even calling for his resignation.
As Google faces increasing competition in the field of artificial intelligence, it remains to be seen how the company will address all these issues surrounding it.
With information from Business Insider
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