Google has faced criticism for its decision to terminate over 50 employees in response to protests about its military connections with the Israeli government. The firings have brought attention to the contentious Project Nimbus and ongoing tensions between the staff and management.
The employees were let go following demonstrations at Google’s locations in New York City and Sunnyvale, California. A coalition of Google and Amazon workers, protesting against a $1.2 billion contract with the Israeli government known as Project Nimbus, has voiced concerns about enabling Israeli government surveillance of Palestinians and displacing them from their land.
First, Google fired 28 workers during the protests, followed by an additional 20+ more a few days later.
This incident marks the largest event since Israel’s military response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, with thousands of casualties. Over 34,000 Palestinians, including children and women, have been killed in Gaza since then.
Google has a history of disciplining workers who engage in protests. Emaan Hashim, a Google software engineer and organizer of No Technology for Apartheid, was one of those fired. Hashim emphasized the peaceful nature of the protest.
Hashim criticized Google’s response, accusing the company of not addressing workers’ concerns and behaving irrationally. The firing of 50 workers, including those not involved in the protest, was seen as an emotional overreaction by Google.
Since signing the controversial contract in 2021, Google and Amazon workers have been vocal in their opposition to the companies’ ties with the Israeli military and government.
Despite the financial impact of the firings, affected workers like Hashim have received support and are continuing to educate others about the issue raised by Project Nimbus.
The terminated workers are considering legal action, calling the dismissals “unlawful” in a blog post by No Technology for Apartheid.
A Google spokesperson defended the terminations, emphasizing the investigation into the protests and the involvement of the fired employees. They also clarified Google’s position on Project Nimbus, denying the allegations made by the protesters.
Source: www.theguardian.com
