Google AI Workers to Enter Union Recognition Talks

COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION
20/05/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GOOGLE AI WORKERS TO ENTER RECOGNITION TALKS WITH MANAGEMENT

Workers at Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) wing are preparing to negotiate with management over recognising a workplace trade union.

In an historic first, workers’ representatives at Google DeepMind – the AI company connected to Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google – will be entering into discussions with management to pursue formal union recognition.

The talks came as a result of DeepMind employees belonging to the Communication Workers Union (CWU)’s United Tech and Allied Workers (UTAW) branch voting by 98% to seek voluntary recognition earlier this month.

In a letter sent yesterday (Tuesday 19th May) to CWU national officer John Chadfield, DeepMind senior leadership informed the union that though they rejected voluntary recognition, they will continue discussions through ACAS.

The unionisation drive among over 1,000 workers at DeepMind’s London offices has come from the back of widespread concerns over the company’s 2025 abandoning of commitments that workers’ skills would not be used for developing weapons or surveillance tools.

Workers are also demanding that DeepMind offer the right of moral refusal for employees to undertake certain projects and that the company creates an independent ethics oversight body.

It is expected that discussions will lead to a formal ballot of staff in the coming months.

Commenting on developments, a CWU spokesperson said: “We welcome Google DeepMind management’s offer to engage us in discussions over workplace union recognition.

“In previous months, unprecedented numbers of Google DeepMind employees have expressed concerns over the direction of their work by joining their union.

“As discussions continue, we are confident that even more workers will know the need for a democratic workers’ voice at DeepMind.”

ENDS

For further enquiries, please contact CWU Press Officer Marcus Barnett at mbarnett@cwu.org.