Google has been accused of preventing employees from discussing antitrust lawsuits within the company, a move that may violate US labor law.
In an email to staff, senior manager Kent Walker asked staff to "refrain" from commenting on the incident, which is believed to violate the right to discuss working conditions, under US labor law.
According to the accusation from the Alphabet Workers Union sent to the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the request from Google could reduce the ability of employees to speak.
NLRB lawyers will assess whether the order actually interferes with employees’ legal rights. If the lawsuit is approved, an investigation will determine whether Google had the authority to restrict such speech or whether the company overstepped its business interests.
The incident comes as Google faces anti-competitive allegations, particularly from the US Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ has proposed drastic measures that could include separating Google’s businesses such as Android and Chrome. This decision, if implemented, would have significant implications for the company’s employees.
Events like the 2018 #MeToo walkouts have shown that Google has a history of responding to employees who protest or raise inappropriate working conditions. Stephen McMurtry, a senior engineer at Google and union representative, expressed concern about the impact of these restrictions on employee rights.
The NLRB is currently reviewing the allegations and could take seven to 14 weeks to issue an initial decision. Meanwhile, the trial between Google and the DOJ is expected to resume in April 2025 to determine remedies to remedy Google’s anticompetitive effects.
