Google Help Workers Accuse Alphabet of Labor Law Violations, Seek Joint Employer Designation

Google parent Alphabet Inc GOOG GOOGL is facing charges for illegally terminating contract employment for most Google Help workers attempting to unionize. 

The Alphabet Workers Union filed a complaint with the U.S. labor board for alleged violation of federal labor law, Bloomberg reports. 

In July, Alphabet informed its plans to terminate the jobs of 70% of the proposed bargaining unit, including 118 writers, graphic designers, and launch coordinators who create internal and external Google content.

The workers, employed through the vendor Accenture Plc ACN, argued that Alphabet is legally their employer and sought the designation of a "joint employer" from the NLRB.

The designation would make Alphabet liable for their treatment and oblige the company to negotiate with them if they choose to unionize.

Alphabet and Accenture have faced flak for retaliating against workers seeking unionization, as it cut jobs amid organizing efforts. 

In the past, another group of contract workers employed by Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp CTSH to work on YouTube Music successfully voted to unionize. 

They deemed Alphabet a joint employer, requiring it to bargain collectively with the workers. However, Alphabet has indicated it will refuse to negotiate with them, leading to potential legal battles.

The Google Help contract workers insist that Google has considerable control over their jobs, which involves close collaboration with full-time Google employees. 

The NLRB will investigate the union's claims, and if they find merit, the case could be prosecuted before an agency judge and potentially reach a federal appeals court.

Amazon.com Inc's AMZN opposition to unionization came to the forefront amid a growing number of warehouse workers opting for unionization for higher pay and safety improvements.

Price Action: GOOGL shares traded higher by 0.31% at $128.84 premarket on the last check Friday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.