WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, in a joint statement, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) applauded news that more than 225 workers at Google have formed a union. The news comes after the senators had been pushing Google to do right by its workers and step up worker protections.
“After years of activism, Google workers took an important step toward securing the representation they deserve to fight for a fair workplace. Unionizing and taking collective action is essential to protecting workers’ rights and strengthening their ability to speak up for themselves. Google must now recognize this union, and fire the union-busting ‘consultants’ they hired to intimidate these employees. Businesses thrive when workers have a voice and we will continue to stand in solidarity as we fight for the dignity of all work,” said the senators.
The senators led their colleagues in demanding answers from Google in August 2019, after a New York Times report found Google has more temporary and contract workers than full-time employees. The report also found that temporary and contract workers often remain in those positions for extended periods of time. Temporary workers and independent contractors are by definition intended for short-term or work outside the scope of business operations, but at Google, they frequently perform the same work as full-time employees for lower pay and benefits. The senators urged Google to end its abuses of worker classifications and treat all workers equally.