Google workers around the world come together to form a global union alliance. The newly formed coalition, called Alpha Global, consists of 13 different unions representing workers in ten countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
The announcement comes weeks after workers in the US and Canada launched the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU), a minority union affiliated with the Communications Workers of America. Within a week of being launched, AWU has grown from 230 members to more than 700.
Alpha Global is affiliated with the UNI Global Union, a federation of unions representing 20 million people worldwide, including workers at Amazon.
“We know that organizing justice at a global company like Alphabet does not stop at national borders,” Parul Koul, executive chairman of the Alphabet Workers Union and a Google software engineer, said in a statement. “That is why it is so important to unite with workers in other countries. In a world where inequality is tearing apart, our societies and corporations are gaining more influence than ever before, and it has never been so important to regain our power through our unions. ‘
Minority unions such as AWU gain their power by building solidarity among the workers. The structure allows AWU to include Google contractors as well as full-time employees, but it also means that the union is not currently recognized by the National Labor Relations Board and cannot force Google management to negotiate.
Similarly, Alpha Global will gain power by uniting Google workers in different countries. At least the coalition will not have a legally binding agreement with the company. Along the way, it could try to put Google under pressure to sign a neutrality agreement – a contract that forces Google to support trade union efforts – although it is doubtful that the company agrees to such terms.
The signing of a neutrality agreement may also not be necessary for Alpha Global to force change. In 2020, UNI Global Union helped organize the Make Amazon Pay campaign, an international strike on Black Friday that received support from more than 400 lawmakers. The federation does not have a legal agreement with Amazon – it gained power by uniting workers around the world.
“The problems at Alphabet – and created by Alphabet – are not limited to one country and need to be addressed at a global level,” said Christy Hoffman, UNI’s general secretary. ‘The movement launched by technology workers at Google and beyond is inspiring. They use their collective muscles to not only transform their conditions of service, but also to address social issues caused by increasing concentration of corporate power. ”
Now that it’s public, Alpha Global will elect a steering committee that can include Google workers as well as union organizers.
Organizers of Alpha Global say they plan to address national issues, such as the treatment of content moderators in certain countries, as well as international concerns, such as workers being forced to sign non-disclosure agreements. In total, the alliance includes unions from the United States, Switzerland, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Belgium.
“The power of these global technology companies is so great that they are present in all parts of our lives,” said Fionnuala Ní Bhrógáin, organizer of the Communications Workers’ Union in Ireland. ‘If they act in this way almost entirely by governments, there is no hold on what they can do. The power must be checked, and it is only through collective action that workers can do it. ”
Alpha Global is another sign that the struggle to accelerate unions for technology workers. If successful, it could be an example for workers at other technology giants – to find not only solidarity within one country, but also at offices and warehouses around the world.