UK-based staff demand union recognition to block military AI integration…
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UK Google DeepMind Staff Overwhelmingly Back Unionization Against Military AI Contracts
Employees at Google DeepMind’s UK offices have voted 98% in favor of unionizing with the Communication Workers Union and Unite the Union, seeking to halt the company’s AI technology involvement with the US military and Israel, including the Project Nimbus deal. The roughly 300 London-based staff sent a letter to management demanding formal recognition within 10 days or face legal action, with plans for protests and research strikes if unmet.
Union Vote and Demands
Approximately 300 employees at Google DeepMind’s London headquarters participated in the vote, achieving 98% support for unionization with the CWU. The workers’ primary demand is for the company to end its defense contracts, particularly those linked to Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion cloud computing agreement between Google, Amazon, and Israel’s Ministry of Defense. Sources familiar with the effort told the Financial Times that successful union recognition would lead to meetings with management to push for policy changes on defense deals.
Engineers are citing the “capricious Iran war” and the 2025 removal of Google’s “No Harm” pledge as evidence of bad-faith leadership. One software developer noted that while they were hired to “predict weather,” their code is now being repurposed to “analyze drone footage in Gaza.”