‍(Austin, Texas)—On Wednesday, September 20, 2023 around 30 YouTube Music workers began their one day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike against Google and its contractor, Cognizant. After workers unanimously voted to unionize with Alphabet Workers Union-CWA (AWU-CWA) in April, the NLRB announced that it would uphold a previous ruling that found members of the YouTube Content Operations Team to be jointly employed by both Google and Cognizant. This decision requires Google to join workers at the bargaining table alongside Cognizant. In response, Google has announced that the company will not bargain with workers, in direct opposition of the NLRB’s decision recognizing Google as the employer of these workers. Workers held a press conference and action at the Google Austin offices, in addition to their ULP strike, to protest Google and Cognizant’s unlawful refusal to bargain.

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“Once again, Google’s stated company values are at odds with its behavior. Google claims that it respects its workers’ right to organize. However, when it comes time for them to actually meet unionized workers like us at the bargaining table—they are nowhere to be found. The same is true of their contractor, Cognizant, who also refuses to meet us at the bargaining table. Right now, Google is breaking labor law by refusing to bargain with us, even after we unanimously won our union election. The National Labor Relations Board has twice found that Google is our employer as the company exerts direct control over our working conditions. Google is ignoring the NLRB’s multiple rulings and instead choosing to break US labor law by refusing to do the right thing and bargain with us. That is why we are on a one day ULP strike—demanding that Google and Cognizant stop with the games and actually bargain with us for our first union contract,” said Liana Hernandez, worker on the YouTube Music Content Operations Team and member of the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA.  

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Workers held the press conference and action at the Google Austin offices, where they set up a table with large skeletons to represent Google and Cognizant’s refusal to come to the bargaining table. Workers were joined by Texas AFL-CIO president Rick Levy. 

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“YouTube Music workers made history when they voted unanimously to speak up together through the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA. The law of the land now requires Cognizant and Google to negotiate toward a fair first contract,” Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy said.  “Workers in Texas and across the country are rising up to claim our fair share through organizing and collective bargaining. The Texas AFL-CIO calls on both companies to quit playing legal games, bargain in good faith, and arrive at a cutting-edge contract that delivers for workers who make the companies shine.” 

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Currently, 10% of the YouTube Music Content Operations Team has COVID. Yet, in the midst of this outbreak, Cognizant and Google are denying workers access to COVID tests, paid COVID leave or even the flexibility to safely work from home. This is counter to the policies Google sets for its main office buildings. As the YouTube Music Content Operations Team work in a satellite building they are not granted access to COVID tests or other common sense protections. 

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At the bargaining table, workers hope to negotiate and secure fair sick leave policies, dignified wages, better health benefits and more. Today’s strike is the second ULP strike held by workers, and the second ever strike at Google. On Friday, February 3, 2023 workers held their first ULP strike. Workers were protesting the Return-To-Office (RTO) mandate instituted after workers’ announced their union. The retaliatory RTO mandate would force layoffs amongst workers who were hired across state lines or cannot afford the travel costs associated with in office work. Several workers are still on strike to protect their jobs from the RTO mandate. 

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Workers celebrated their unanimous union election victory on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 after filing for NLRB recognition on October 21, 2022. Following this victory, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced that it will uphold the Region 16 - Fort Worth Director’s previous ruling that this group of YouTube Music workers are jointly employed by both Google/Alphabet and the contractor Cognizant. On August 3, 2023 Google’s legal team informed workers that the company did not recognize its status as the workers’ employer and would not be participating in bargaining. Workers filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge against Google and Cognizant due to their refusal to bargain on September 19, 2023. 

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Alphabet Workers Union - CWA unites full-time employees, temporary employees, vendors, and contractors at Google and other Alphabet companies in the United States and Canada in collective action to ensure that our workplace is equitable and that Alphabet acts ethically. We are members of Communications Workers of America Local 9009 and currently represent over 1,400 workers across Alphabet. Learn more at alphabetworkersunion.org or follow us at @AlphabetWorkers.