Google dismissed twenty-eight workers on Wednesday for taking part in unruly demonstrations inside the company’s premises. Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion joint contract between Google and Amazon to supply cloud computing services to the Israeli government, was the focus of the protests.
Google maintains that the employees’ actions violated company policies. A spokesperson emphasized that the protests impeded other employees’ work and prevented access to facilities. The company placed the protesting employees on leave before termination, cutting off their access to company systems.
There is increasing dissatisfaction within Google over Project Nimbus at the time of these firings. The activist organization No Tech for Apartheid is among the critics who claim the contract gives the Israeli government the authority to monitor and uproot Palestinians. The project came under increased attention in the aftermath of the late 2021 fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Google, however, maintains Project Nimbus is for general government use, excluding highly sensitive military projects. The company spokesperson stressed that Israeli government ministries using the cloud service must comply with Google’s terms of service and acceptable use policy.
The protests resulted in nine arrests. Some employees refused to leave after requests from Google security and law enforcement, leading to trespassing charges. One arrested employee, 23-year-old Hasan Ibraheem, described the protest as peaceful. The group occupied an office space, delivering speeches and chants every 15-20 minutes, despite being asked to leave throughout the day. By evening, Google revoked their building access and work privileges.
This incident underscores the complexities of employee activism within the tech industry. Google’s response highlights the potential clash between employee concerns and corporate interests. It remains to be seen if similar protests will emerge within Google or other tech giants, raising questions about free speech and employee rights in the workplace.
This event adds to a series of employee actions against Project Nimbus. Last month, a Google employee protesting the contract was fired for disrupting a talk by the company’s head of Israel. In 2022, over 100 people, including Google employees, protested the project outside the company’s New York office.
With tensions high, the future of Project Nimbus and similar collaborations in the tech industry remains uncertain.
