Will Google’s New Union Change Its Company Culture?

Abstract

In early 2021, workers at Alphabet, Google’s parent company, announced the formation of the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU), intended to positively change the company’s culture and its approach to political, social, and labor issues, which had been the source of employee tensions, lawsuits, and walkouts. Labor-organizing is something of a rarity in Silicon Valley, and the case asks students to discuss the union’s objectives as well as the broader impact the AWU will have on organizing efforts in tech.

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