Google workers submit petition for layoff protections to CEO

Google employees gathered outside the company’s California headquarters on Thursday to deliver a petition to CEO Sundar Pichai, demanding stronger layoff protections amid a wave of workforce reductions that has affected tech giants across the industry. The petition, signed by more than 4,500 workers, also calls for buyout options for employees who may be displaced as the firm continues to invest billions in artificial‑intelligence initiatives.

Parul Koul, a software engineer and president of the Alphabet Workers Union, spoke to reporters after handing the petition to Pichai’s office. “Make no mistake: this is a company that is enjoying massive, unprecedented success,” Koul said. She cited Google’s $4 trillion valuation—quadrupled over the past six years—to underscore the tension between the company’s profits and the impact of its cost‑cutting measures. Koul criticized the layoffs as “not difficult decisions” but rather a prioritization of profit over the people who sustain the business.

The petition reflects growing employee concern over job security as Google and other tech firms shift resources toward AI development. While the company has yet to respond publicly, the action signals that workers are demanding clearer safeguards and more transparent communication regarding future workforce changes.