Ex-Google workers ousted over anti-Israel office protests claim they were illegally fired
NY Post
A group of ex-Google employees has filed a federal labor complaint alleging they were illegally fired by the tech giant for their involvement in office protests over the company’s business ties to the Israeli government.
Filed with the National Labor Relations Board late Monday, the complaint alleges that Google “unlawfully retaliated” against workers who staged a “peaceful, non-disruptive protest” for improved working conditions, according to Jane Chung, a spokesperson for protest organizer No Tech for Apartheid.
The workers are “seeking reinstatement of their jobs, back pay, and affirmation from Google leadership that it will not retaliate against its workers for lawful collective protest,” Chung said in a release.
“Google is attempting to instill fear in employees by illegally punishing and retaliating against those expressing dissent about Google’s profit and complicity in genocide,” said Zelda Montes, one of the nine employees who were arrested for trespassing during the office protests.
The pro-Palestinian staffers — many of whom wore traditional Arab headscarves and masks — stormed the office buildings to demand that Google withdraw from the $1.2 billion “Project Nimbus” contract, in which Google and Amazon provide cloud services for Israel.
The Post could not immediately obtain a copy of the complaint. Representatives for the workers did not immediately return requests for comment on the situation.
