Google employees have initiated an internal petition titled “Job Security”, reported CNBC. The petition expresses concerns over the company’s planned cost reductions for 2025.
According to the publication, this petition has garnered the support of over 1,250 workers across the US and Canada, which highlights growing unrest as employees face the prospect of ongoing job cuts.
The petition underscores the anxiety felt by staff as they worry about job stability in light of several rounds of layoffs since 2023. These cuts have left many questioning the rationale behind the dismissal of so many colleagues, especially given the company’s strong financial standing.
Notably, the employees reportedly argue that such actions undermine their ability to deliver high-quality work and diminish morale across the organisation.
“We are concerned about instability at Google that impacts our ability to do high quality, impactful work,” the petition read as per the report. “Ongoing rounds of layoffs make us feel insecure about our jobs. The company is clearly in a strong financial position, making the loss of so many valuable colleagues without explanation hurt even more.”
The petition reportedly follows comments by Google’s new CFO, Anat Ashkenazi, who in October stated that one of her key priorities for the year ahead would be further cost-cutting, particularly to fund the company’s AI infrastructure investments. Ashkenazi’s remarks triggered concern among employees, especially as there was little clarity on how these cuts would be implemented.
In response to these anxieties, the petition demands that CEO Sundar Pichai offer voluntary buyouts before resorting to layoffs, added the report.
It also calls for guaranteed severance packages similar to those offered in January 2023, when Google laid off 12,000 workers. These packages include 16 weeks’ salary plus two additional weeks for every year of service.
Furthermore, the petition implores the company not to use forced low performance reviews as a justification for removing staff. Google has previously stated that performance reviews are based on individual contributions, without a forced rating distribution.
