Google has fired 20 more employees following internal protest regarding the company's involvement in an Israeli defense contract, organizers revealed. The terminated individuals were described as "non-participating bystanders" by Jane Chung, a spokesperson for No Tech for Apartheid.
These terminations come after 28 employees were dismissed for participating in a protest against Google's role in Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion defense contract. With over 50 job cuts in total, tensions within Google have intensified significantly.
The protest initially led to the arrest of nine employees and garnered criticism from Google's head of security, Chris Rackow, who condemned the demonstrations as disruptive. Rackow's memo emphasized Google's investigation into the incident and the subsequent termination of involved employees, highlighting the company's commitment to workplace conduct policies.
CEO Sundar Pichai echoed Rackow's sentiments, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a culture of open dialogue while asserting clear boundaries within the company. Pichai underscored Google's stance as a business entity, emphasizing the need to avoid disrupting colleagues or using the company as a personal platform for contentious issues.
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The protest stemmed from Google's collaboration with the Israeli government through Project Nimbus, a cloud computing agreement signed in 2021. Employees in California and New York protested against this partnership, citing concerns about Google's involvement with the Israeli military. Organized by the No Tech for Apartheid movement within Google, the protest escalated as employees occupied Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian's office for over eight hours.
The demonstrators called for an end to Google's ties with the Israeli military and addressed safety concerns for employees. As tensions rose, company officials placed protesters on administrative leave and intervened with police, leading to arrests and the abrupt conclusion of the protest.
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