Google DeepMind Unionization Talks Hit Early Snag in London

Negotiations between Google DeepMind and its London-based employees regarding the possibility of unionization have stumbled this week, leaving union representatives feeling their time was wasted. In May, DeepMind employees formally requested Google to recognize the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Unite the Union as their joint representatives. While Google denied this initial request, it did agree to participate in negotiations arbitrated by a third-party body, setting the stage for what was hoped to be a constructive dialogue. The initial meeting, held on Wednesday, involved union officers, DeepMind employees advocating for unionization, the third-party arbitrator, and DeepMind HR representatives. However, a significant point of contention and frustration for those pushing for unionization was the noticeable absence of senior DeepMind leadership figures. John Chadfield, a CWU officer who attended the meeting, expressed strong reservations, stating, “Recognition talks not being attended by senior management at the opening stage is a leading indicator that a company isn’t engaging in good faith. It’s just a time-wasting exercise.” He concluded that negotiations have stalled at an early stage. In response, Al Verney, a Google DeepMind spokesperson, denied that negotiations have stalled, asserting that “The first step in the process is to define who the unions want to represent and the parties agreed on next steps to do this,” and that “The appropriate representatives attended this initial meeting.” During the meeting, a DeepMind employee read a prepared letter on behalf of colleagues supporting unionization, which WIRED reviewed. The letter critically stated, “Instead of having meaningful dialogue with its employees about our concerns, Google DeepMind workers have been treated as a problem handed off to HR.” Multiple sources present at the meeting reported that DeepMind HR representatives interrupted the employee reading the statement on two occasions. Furthermore, the letter alleges that Google has actively attempted to quash open dialogue and crack down on dissent among DeepMind employees by shutting down or reconfiguring internal chat venues and preventing staff from responding to company-wide communications about the unionization bid. Employees who tried to circumvent these restrictions were reportedly “reprimanded” by HR. An anonymous DeepMind employee involved in drafting the letter claimed, “The intention was to intimidate,” labeling these actions as “well-established union-busting techniques.” Verney reiterated Google’s commitment to engage constructively in the process and maintain open dialogue with employees through various other channels. The current push to unionize at DeepMind is rooted in concerns that arose after Google’s parent company Alphabet removed a pledge not to use AI for purposes like weapons development and surveillance from its ethics guidelines, a move that WIRED previously reported. This ethical shift significantly impacted employee morale and trust. “Those principles were a big part of why I joined DeepMind,” stated a second DeepMind employee, who also requested anonymity, expressing disappointment that “We basically just got rid of them all.” This sentiment underscores a deeper unease among staff about the direction of AI development. These concerns are not isolated to DeepMind but reflect a broader apprehension across the AI industry regarding the militarization of the models being developed. In late February, staff at DeepMind and OpenAI signed an open letter supporting Anthropic, after the US Department of Defense sought to designate the lab a supply chain risk over its refusal to allow its technology to be used in autonomous weapons and mass surveillance. Further fueling employee unease, The New York Times reported in April that Google had entered into a deal allowing the Pentagon to use its AI for “any lawful government purpose.” Approximately 600 US-based Google employees reportedly signed a letter protesting the permissive terms of this deal. The US Department of Defense later confirmed reaching deals with seven leading AI companies—including Google, SpaceX, OpenAI, and Microsoft—to utilize their models on classified networks. Google has previously defended its government partnerships, with spokeswoman Jenn Crider stating in April that the company is “proud to be part of a broad consortium” and remains “committed to the private and public sector consensus that AI should not be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weaponry without appropriate human oversight.” Looking ahead, if negotiations in London do not progress, the CWU representative, John Chadfield, indicated that employees would ask an arbitration committee to compel Google to recognize the unions. This potential step follows a precedent set in 2021 when Google employees in the US formed the Alphabet Workers Union, which, although not recognized by Alphabet for collective bargaining, has successfully negotiated agreements for Google contractors. Chadfield expressed hope for an amicable agreement, stating, “We’re hoping that Google genuinely comes to the table and we can agree something amicably,” but cautioned that “both sides have to come to the table with some concessions. Google is coming with no concessions whatsoever.”