Google Layoffs: Company Fires Over 20 More Employees For Protesting Against Nimbus Contract

File Photo

New Delhi: Following the termination of 28 employees last week due to sit-in protest at Google’s offices in New York and California. The company has reportedly fired 20 additional employees, according to reports by The Verge.

Why did the protest happen?

The protest arose in response to Google's 1.2 billion dollars cloud computing project with the Israeli government which is known as Project Nimbus. A spokesperson for a group called No Tech for Apartheid, Jane Chung, stated in the report that Google has fired "non-participating bystanders." This brings the total number of employees fired for participating in protests to nearly 50, as per the report. ()

Sundar Pichai’s Warning to Employees

The company’s CEO Sundar Pichai has reportedly cautioned employees about engaging in such activities as this will spark concerns about the diminishing room for expression and dissent within the corporation. As per the Hindustan Times, Pichai warned his employees, stating, "We have a culture of vibrant, open discussion that enables us to create amazing products and turn great ideas into action. That's important to preserve." ()

What is Project Nimbus?

It is a joint contract between Google and Amazon which was signed in 2021. It aims to provide cloud computing infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), and other technology services to the Israeli government and its military.