Casar, Labor Caucus Co-Chairs, Congressional Democrats Urge NLRB to Investigate Allegations that Google & YouTube Music Retaliated Against Unionizing Workers
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Greg Casar (TX-35) and Labor Caucus Co-Chairs U.S. Representatives Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), and Steven Horsford (NV-04) led 46 House Democrats in urging the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to swiftly investigate allegations of Google retaliating against unionizing workers.
In a letter released today, the Members of Congress emphasized that the NLRB's response to the termination of YouTube Music workers and other alleged unfair labor practices will set an important precedent for workers and companies across America.
"We have strong concerns about reports of retaliation against YouTube Music workers for their union organizing activity," said Congressional Labor Caucus co-chairs Reps. Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Steven Horsford (D-NV), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), and Mark Pocan (D-WI). “These workers have a right to a voice on the job, and that's why we're urging the NLRB to thoroughly investigate this issue.”
“We welcome the attention that Representative Casar and members of the Labor Caucus are bringing to Google's continued intimidation of workers who want to organize unions at the company,” said CWA District 6 Vice President Derrick Osobase. “Swift action by the NLRB in this case will send an important message to the entire tech industry that they are not above the law and that they must respect workers' right to organize and collectively bargain here in Texas and across the country.”
“We are grateful that Representative Casar and members of the Labor Caucus have taken up the cause of our YouTube Music coworkers,” said Parul Koul, Software Engineer and President of the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA. “If Google is allowed to violate its legal responsibilities to its workers and ignore the directives of the National Labor Relations Board in this case it will set a terrible precedent for the future of workers’ rights in this country.”
“The NLRB correctly recognized that Alphabet and its subcontractor, Cognizant, are joint employers and they must bargain with the YouTube Music workers who have organized under AWU. But instead of doing so, they laid off workers while they were testifying in front of the Austin City Council in an effort to bust the union,” said Dan Mauer, Government Affairs Director at Communications Workers of America. “It's past time for Alphabet to live up to its stated value, to respect workers' rights and to comply with labor law. We are grateful to Representative Casar and the Labor Caucus for their commitment to ensuring Alphabet is treating all its workers fairly. We will continue fighting to get these workers the justice they deserve.”
Soon after YouTube Music workers in Texas exercised their right to collectively bargain for fair pay and improved workplace rights, they were laid off in their entirety. This is not the first time that Google workers have been fired after attempting to organize their workplace. After Google Content Creation Operations workers took steps to unionize, Google fired 80 members of the 119 member team.
A 2019 New York Times investigation found Google employs more workers as temporary workers often undercompensated
The letter is signed by U.S. Representatives Alma Adams (NC-12), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Cori Bush (MO-01), André Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Danny Davis (IL-07), Don Davis (NC-01), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús G. "Chuy" García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman(NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Dan Kildee (MI-08), Barbara Lee(CA-12), Summer Lee (PA-12), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Mark Takano (CA-39), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Susan Wild (PA-07).
The letter is endorsed by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and Alphabet Workers Union-CWA.
To read the full text of the letter, click here.
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