Hundreds of Google employees rally outside the company’s headquarters in California and deliver a petition to CEO Sundar Pichai seeking stronger layoff protections as the company continues workforce reductions while investing heavily in artificial intelligence. The petition, organized by the Alphabet Workers Union, gathers more than 4,500 signatures and is presented at or near Google’s Mountain View headquarters. According to reports, union representatives and employees say Google’s success and growing valuation—valued at around $4 trillion—have not prevented layoffs and staffing cuts.
Workers’ requested measures include guaranteed severance, an end to certain performance quota practices referred to as GRAD performance quotas, and the option to take severance as paid leave. One outlet also reports that the delivery did not immediately receive a response, with some interactions described as limited or behind closed doors.
The petition is also said to be delivered to Pichai and other senior executives, with organizers framing the demands around expectations for protections for employees affected by restructuring.
