Google terminated 28 employees on Wednesday, according to an internal memo viewed by CNBC. This action came after a series of protests against labor conditions and the company’s contract with the Israeli government and military for cloud computing and artificial intelligence services.
The news of the terminations followed the arrest of nine Google workers on trespassing charges for staging a sit-in at the company’s offices in New York and Sunnyvale, California. The protesters in New York and Sunnyvale reported being locked out of their work accounts and offices, placed on administrative leave, and instructed to wait for HR to contact them before returning to work.
In a memo sent by Chris Rackow, Google’s vice president of global security, it was stated that 28 employees were terminated following an investigation. The arrests were livestreamed on Twitch and were part of protests organized by the “No Tech for Apartheid” group against Project Nimbus, a joint venture between Google and Amazon to provide cloud computing services to the Israeli government and military.
The terminated employees were involved in the protests against the company’s military contracts. Google’s spokesperson stated that the company supports governments around the world, including the Israeli government, with its cloud computing services. The protests highlight Google’s challenges in handling opposition to its AI and cloud technology use for military purposes.
The protests and terminations also reflect the ongoing tensions within Google regarding its involvement with the Israeli government. The events followed a deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas, resulting in thousands of deaths and a siege of Gaza. Google’s contract with the Israeli Ministry of Defense has raised concerns about the use of its technology for surveillance and military purposes.
Former Google employees who resigned over the Project Nimbus contract expressed their opposition to Google’s involvement in military contracts. The terminated employees were protesting their labor conditions and the company’s treatment of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim workers. Google stated that the behavior of the protesters violated company policies and led to their termination.
Google’s memo emphasized the importance of adhering to company policies and maintaining a professional workplace environment. The company vowed to take action against disruptive behavior and ensure a safe work environment for all employees.
Google terminated 28 employees after a series of protests against labor conditions and the company’s contract to provide the Israeli government and military with cloud computing and artificial intelligence services. The protests included a sit-in at Google’s offices in New York and Sunnyvale, with some workers being arrested and terminated. The demonstrations were led by the “No Tech for Apartheid” organization, focused on Project Nimbus, a contract between Google and Amazon to provide cloud computing services to the Israeli government and military. The protests highlight Google employees’ opposition to military use of AI and cloud technology, with some workers expressing concerns about the company’s involvement in surveillance activities. The terminated employees were found to be involved in disruptive behavior that violated the company’s policies, leading to their termination. The protests and subsequent terminations reflect growing tensions within Google over its business practices and partnerships with military organizations.
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