Google workers council expresses 'deep concern' over lack of information on continuing layoffs
Fears of layoffs at Google continue to impact Irish staff with concerns that the company’s effort to reduce its headcount has not been properly communicated. Photo: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie
A European-wide council of Google workers has called for clarity from senior management on the ongoing layoffs taking place across its operations.
The European Works Council (EWC), which was formed in December last year, is an internal group established under Irish law which gives staff the right to be consulted with over issues relating to job cuts, investments, mergers and acquisitions and its financial situation.
The group was formed as widespread layoffs swept across the tech sector, with Google cutting 240 Irish jobs last year as part of global plans to reduce its headcount by 12,000.
While the tech giant has not announced any significant layoffs impacting its Irish operations since then, staff in its Dublin office have become increasingly concerned that cuts are continuing but are not being effectively communicated.
In its first annual meeting with management from Google's parent company, the EWC raised several issues regarding the lack of information on the tech giant's financial situation, employment trends, investments and future endeavours.
In confidential documents seen by the , the group noted a lack of forward-looking information and data offered by Google-owner Alphabet, which it said did not live up to the initial agreement and should be remedied in future meetings.
The group also raised the issue of continued staff cuts, telling representatives that it was "very concerned" about the company's current headcount planning and that regular redundancies were a major cause of stress for employees.
The documents said Alphabet management did not provide any information on the probable trend of future layoffs, noting "deep concern" that reorganisation plans announced by Google the day after the meeting were withheld from EWC representatives.
The group said the lack of information was evidence that European leadership were not involved in the plans or that they lacked trust with the newly formed EWC.
Fears of lay-offs at Google continue to impact Irish staff with concerns that the company’s effort to reduce its headcount has not been properly communicated.
In its report, the EWC also noted Alphabet's significant cash reserve, saying that the company's ongoing cost-cutting exercise aims to deliver a narrative for financial markets, but is not a requirement for the company's long-term sustainability.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner earlier this month, one Google employee based in Ireland said that while the company had only one formal redundancy process last year, the company has continued to cut staff, with fears that lay-offs are continuing in small but regular rounds, hence avoiding the need to report cuts to the Government and engage in collective consultations with affected workers.
"Lay-offs have been taking place every month this year and are done by product area and department. They’re coming in waves. It started in January and has been continuing throughout February, March, April, May and June."
“It’s extremely difficult to get any information,” said the Google employee, adding that the lack of communication has been “very stressful for Irish staff”.
The EWC also reported that Alphabet did not provide adequate information on core business or mergers and acquisitions, adding that this was not in line with their agreement.
In its concluding remarks, the EWC said it was concerned about the scarcity of information regarding the company's prospects and future endeavours, calling for outstanding information that was not addressed during the meeting to be delivered.
Responding to the EWC's opinion, Alphabet management said some of the its statements were not a true reflection of the information shared before and during the meeting.
It said it shared the EWC's view that job cuts can create uncertainty and impact employee well-being and stress, adding that significant efforts have been undertaken to minimise the number of redundancies.
As uncertainty regarding ongoing layoffs remains, Google staff, including those in the Dublin office, have began actively monitoring and sharing information on layoffs to keep track of what jobs are being cut and which locations are being impacted.
In a tracker document spanning eight months seen by the Irish Examiner, it shows layoffs have taken place across several Dublin office teams, including finance, analytics, global business organisation, knowledge and information and regulatory response, among others.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner earlier this month, Gareth Murphy, Head of Industrial Relations and Campaigns at the Financial Services Union called ongoing redundancies "extremely concerning," urging Google to “clarify without delay how many staff they have made redundant so far this year”.
“This was a constructive first meeting of EMEA management and our European Works Council representatives," a Google EMEA spokesperson told the Irish Examiner.
"It’s early days of working together, and while we don’t agree with these representatives on every issue, what's clear is our shared passion in keeping Google a great place to work."
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