Google layoffs: Google workers in Switzerland stage walkout over mass layoffs

After the world woke up from the global covid 19 pandemic, we saw many companies and startups downsize their workforce and lay off thousands of employees. One of the hardest hit by the recession is the tech sector – last year, 965 tech companies laid off more than 150,000 workers worldwide. And now it seems that the workers cannot bear the layoffs.

Google, which survived most of the recession just last month, saw some of its employees protest plans to lay off workers in a show of solidarity with the company’s laid-off workers in various offices. the world. According to media reports, some 250 Alphabet subsidiary workers staged a walkout in Zurich on Wednesday. The reason for doing this is simple – to protest against the technology behemoth’s decision to reduce the world’s workforce by 6%.

About 250 workers at Google’s Switzerland office have walked out against the decision to cut the company by 6 percent, which has led to thousands of layoffs.

According to a Bloomberg report, the employees got up from their desks before lunch and gathered at the door of one of Google’s two offices in Switzerland, holding placards. The workers were supported by their trade union Syndicom.

Although, the 250 protesters represent a fraction of the roughly 5,000 workers who brought Google to Zurich, it’s rare for workers at tech companies to protest like this. The incident follows protests earlier this month in New York and California over similar job cuts, Bloomberg reported.

As required by Swiss law, the protesting workers asked Google to engage with layoff options in talks with the labor committee. said Dominic Fitze, spokesman for the union. Bloomberg They called for support for expatriates whose residence is linked to their employment and a commitment from the company to further job cuts.

“We know this is an uncertain time for our employees and we are working hard to share updates as soon as possible,” a Google spokesperson said. Bloomberg. “However, given the ongoing process, we are not in a position to comment further on the matter.”

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, said in January that it plans to lay off more than 12,000 workers. The move joins other tech behemoths, including Meta and Amazon, that have curtailed operations due to the weakening global economy and rising inflation.