Google contractors in Kansas City are first to unionize under Alphabet Worker Union
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To install Google Fiber, a technician runs cabling from his truck.
George Frey | Reuters
Google FiberContractors in Kansas City, Missouri, voted Friday to organize, and became the first workers to have bargaining rights as a result of the Alphabet Workers Union.
BDS Connected Solutions, Alphabet employs the 10 employees full-time. The workers work in a store for Google Fiber. This project provides high speed internet access to 19 U.S. states.
Workers at Google Fiber petitioned last month the National Labor Relations Board to formalize their request. union recognition after Google and BDS didn’t voluntarily agree to allow it. Workers told CNBCThey faced union-busting tactics leading to the vote.
On Friday, the National Labors Relations Board approved and counted March votes. This vote of 9 to 1 marks the first time that Google employees have voted to unify under the Alphabet Workers Union. createdA year ago, the Communications Workers of America was represented alongside them (CWA), amid rising tensions between employees and Google leaders.
The Alphabet Workers Union now has more than 800 members in various locations across the company, but otherwise operates through a “minority union” model, meaning it doesn’t have bargaining rights with leadership.
However, Kansas City workers have the right to bargain. The union’s potential to negotiate leverage might motivate workers from other areas to run for their elections.
Our campaign was met with many attempts to dissuade us from exercising our collective right to have a voice about the job. However, it was evident to us all that we could positively influence our work conditions so we all get the high-quality pay, benefits, and protections we earned,” Eris Drickson (Retail Associate, BDS Connected Solutions and Google Fiber), said in Friday’s statement. “Our work with Google Fiber was enjoyable and we are looking forward to meeting with BDS Connected Solutions and setting a new standard at our workplace in order to make both customer, worker and company experiences better.”
The Google Fiber unit union drive is part of a broader movement in the tech industry that’s slowly gaining momentum. AmazonWorkers are located in many locations trying to unionize, including at a warehouse in Alabama, where they’re in the process of voting for the second timeOn whether or not to form a union. On Monday, employees’ votes will be counted from Staten Island in New York.
Google and BDS Connected Solutions spokespersons were unavailable for comment immediately.
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