Google Contractors Laid Off Amid City Council Support Efforts

Workers at Google's YouTube Music Content Operations Team, who had won the right to unionize last April, were laid off during a live Austin City Council meeting where a resolution was being debated to call on Google to bargain with its workers. The workers, contracted through Cognizant, were informed of their layoffs during the meeting. Google and Cognizant both disavowed responsibility for the incident, with Google stating that Cognizant is responsible for the workers' employment terms. The Alphabet Workers Union-CWA condemned the job losses, stating that some workers were paid as low as $19 an hour and received minimal benefits, and that Google is breaking the law by refusing to bargain with unionized workers.