Google fired 28 employees on Wednesday following protests against the company’s involvement in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud computing contract with the Israeli government. The firings come after employees staged sit-in protests at Google offices in New York and California with some occupying the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian.
Google protests lead to 28 firings!
According to an internal memo obtained by The Verge, Google’s head of global security, Chris Rackow, defended the terminations, stating that the employee’s actions were “unacceptable” and “extremely disruptive.” He warned employees against violating company policies, emphasizing that Google “takes this extremely seriously” and will continue to take action against disruptive behavior.
The “No Tech for Apartheid” group, leading the protests against Project Nimbus, condemned Google’s actions as “a flagrant act of retaliation.” They highlighted their lack of communication with Google executives throughout their three-year campaign against the contract and asserted the right of employees to peacefully protest their working conditions.
Also read: Google CEO Warns Of Further Job Cuts, Soon To Unveil Ambitious AI Goals For 2024
The firings raise questions about Google’s tolerance for employee dissent and highlight the growing internal conflict regarding Project Nimbus. While Google maintains the contract is purely commercial, critics argue it bolsters Israel’s military capabilities and contributes to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
What do you think of the story? Share your thoughts and stay tuned for more latest news.
