Google Workers Deliver Petition Demanding Layoff Protections

More than 100 employees rallied at the Mountain View headquarters of Google on July 16, 2026, to deliver a petition signed by over 4,500 workers. Led by the Alphabet Workers Union, the employees are demanding layoff protections, including guaranteed severance, companywide buyout offers prior to mandatory layoffs, and the option to receive severance as extended paid leave.

The petition also calls for an end to performance ratings based on quotas rather than merit. While Google has denied using forced rating distributions for employee assessments, the union argues the current environment is driven by fear. This action follows a series of workforce reductions at Alphabet Inc., including more than 14,000 cuts since 2023 and additional dismissals in January and May 2026, some of which occurred within Google Cloud.

Union president Parul Koul stated that layoffs are a choice of profit over people, citing Alphabet's $4.3 trillion valuation and $109.9 billion in quarterly revenue as evidence of the company's success. The union suggests these cuts align with a broader tech industry shift toward artificial intelligence investments. Google has not yet officially responded to the petition.