Google employees protest for job security, deliver petition to CEO Sundar Pichai

Dozens of Google employees, led by the Alphabet Workers Union, held a protest at the company's Mountain View headquarters on Thursday, demanding stronger protections against layoffs. Nearly 100 workers gathered, holding signs and unfurling a banner with over 4,500 signatures on a petition addressed to CEO Sundar Pichai and senior executives. The petition calls for voluntary exits before layoffs, guaranteed severance standards, an end to forced-distribution performance ratings, and the option to receive severance as extended paid leave. Union president Parul Koul said employees tried to deliver the petition in early 2025 but received no substantive response. Workers slipped copies under the doors of executives, including Pichai, who were not present. The protest reflects broader tech industry anxiety after Google cut 12,000 jobs in 2023 and conducted several smaller rounds since. Google has a history of employee activism, including walkouts over sexual misconduct and protests against military contracts.