Google Workers Challenge Termination Over Israel Contract Dispute

Google employees who were fired for protesting against company's work with Israel have filed a complaint to the National Labor Relations Board. Around 50 workers were fired or put on leave, according to the complaint. Google had previously stated that the protesters behavior was disruptive and unacceptable.

The workers' attorney stated in the complaint that Google retaliated against them for engaging in protected concerted activity, specifically peaceful protests related to their work conditions. Google, on the other hand, emphasized that the employees' actions disrupted the workplace and made others feel threatened.

The protest were against Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract between Google and Amazon to provide AI and cloud services to Israel. The workers voiced concerns that the contract could lead to surveillance and displacement of Palestinians. However, Google clarified that the contract was not for military projects and that Israeli government ministries using the services agreed to comply with Google's policies.

This dispute underscores the challenge for companies in balancing business interests with employees' freedom of expression. Previously, Amazon faced criticism from employees over the same project, with concerns raised about its impact on Palestinian lives.