March 29, 2023
At the Japanese unit of the world’s most famous search engine operator Google LLC (Alphabet’s subsidiary), members of the Japan Metal, Manufacturing, Information and Telecommunication Workers' Union (JMITU) Alphabet Union branch are staging a fight against the company’s outrageous forced resignation attempt.
Google Japan workers on March 2 received an e-mail about the company’s 6% job-cut plan. On March 14, they received another e-mail which announced that targeted workers will lose access to their company intra network.
“The company is too one-sided,” JMITU Alphabet Union head Kobayashi Saho angrily said.
In Japan, among targeted workers are female workers on maternity leave or parental leave. In addition, even valued workers are encouraged via e-mail to accept early resignation options.
Kobayashi pointed out, “As worker mobility is high in the tech industry, some Google staff think it’s OK for them to leave their jobs in return for an early resignation bonus. I believe the company can achieve a 6% cut in its workforce if soliciting voluntary retirement.” She said, “The company shows an unwillingness to communicate with its employees. Google’s outrageous layoff attempt took an emotional toll not only on targeted workers but also on other workers.”
At a collective bargaining session held on March 22, the company made promises, such as not holding individual interviews repeatedly with workers who refused to accept early resignation offers and not treating these workers in an unfair manner.
Japanese Communist Party representative Miyamoto Toru at a House of Representatives Labor Committee meeting on March 10 brought up this issue. Labor Minister Kato Katsunobu said that in compliance with the labor law, Google is required to negotiate with the union and make job-cut avoidance efforts.
Past related articles:
> JMITU union at Google Japan launches effort to block unilateral layoffs [March 9, 2023]
> JMITU union formed at Google Japan [March 2, 2023]
Google Japan workers on March 2 received an e-mail about the company’s 6% job-cut plan. On March 14, they received another e-mail which announced that targeted workers will lose access to their company intra network.
“The company is too one-sided,” JMITU Alphabet Union head Kobayashi Saho angrily said.
In Japan, among targeted workers are female workers on maternity leave or parental leave. In addition, even valued workers are encouraged via e-mail to accept early resignation options.
Kobayashi pointed out, “As worker mobility is high in the tech industry, some Google staff think it’s OK for them to leave their jobs in return for an early resignation bonus. I believe the company can achieve a 6% cut in its workforce if soliciting voluntary retirement.” She said, “The company shows an unwillingness to communicate with its employees. Google’s outrageous layoff attempt took an emotional toll not only on targeted workers but also on other workers.”
At a collective bargaining session held on March 22, the company made promises, such as not holding individual interviews repeatedly with workers who refused to accept early resignation offers and not treating these workers in an unfair manner.
Japanese Communist Party representative Miyamoto Toru at a House of Representatives Labor Committee meeting on March 10 brought up this issue. Labor Minister Kato Katsunobu said that in compliance with the labor law, Google is required to negotiate with the union and make job-cut avoidance efforts.
Past related articles:
> JMITU union at Google Japan launches effort to block unilateral layoffs [March 9, 2023]
> JMITU union formed at Google Japan [March 2, 2023]
