Over 4,500 Google workers have signed a petition calling for layoff protections: ‘These layoffs and cuts are not difficult decisions, but simply profit being put over the people that make this company run’
Over 4,500 Google employees have signed a union-led petition demanding layoff protections and enhanced severance packages as the tech giant continues workforce reductions. The petition calls for guaranteed severance payments, company-funded buyout packages offered before any mandatory layoffs, and the option for workers to convert severance into extended paid leave.
The initiative reflects growing worker discontent over Alphabet’s recent workforce cuts. During a Thursday press conference, demonstrating employees chanted “Google, Google, you can’t hide, we can see your greedy side,” highlighting their view that profit prioritization is driving decisions over employee welfare. One protester’s statement encapsulated the sentiment: “These layoffs and cuts are not difficult decisions, but simply profit being put over the people that make this company run.”
However, the petition has faced resistance from company leadership. According to reporting, the union-led initiative has been “greeted with closed doors and no response for the most part,” suggesting Google management has largely ignored the workers’ formal request for dialogue around severance and job security measures.