Google DeepMind Staff Tap the UK Government to Escalate Their Unionization Fight

On Thursday, the two unions filed an application to the Central Arbitration Committee, a government body that resolves disputes between employers and unions. The application asks the CAC to confirm the unions have enough support from workers to trigger a unionization ballot, which the company would be required by law to respect.

If successful, roughly 1,000 staff working in product-focused roles at Google DeepMind would qualify for union membership. The escalation follows a series of meetings between employees, the unions, and company representatives over voluntary unionization, which left staff with the impression their demands weren't being taken seriously.

Ethical Concerns Drive Union Push

The push to unionize began in February 2025, when Google's parent company Alphabet removed a pledge from its ethics guidelines stating it wouldn't use AI for purposes like weapons development. Employees object in particular to agreements between the company and the US and Israeli militaries.

The employees hope that if they succeed in unionizing, they can demand that Google backs out of those military contracts. The company has previously defended its deals with government organizations.

Broader Industry Implications

In an email delivered to all UK staff on Thursday, the Google DeepMind employees involved in the unionization push appealed to their colleagues to participate in the ballot, which they expect to take place in the coming months. They wrote: 'We want a union, we want collective bargaining, and we want a say in how AI is developed and deployed.'

The group also hopes it can establish a playbook that employees at other major AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic can follow in the UK. They believe their collective action could create much-needed checks and balances in an industry with significant economic power.

Google DeepMind did not immediately respond to WIRED's request for comment regarding the unionization effort.