Letter from Google Employees to CEO: “Don’t Be the Devil”

The current of layoffs in technology giants in recent months, Amazon, Google’s umbrella company Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta, Disney and many other giant companies had seen his participation. Total number of layoffs, according to data from Layoffs.fyi, which was set up just to track these layoffs exceeded 160 thousand in the last 1 year.

As layoffs leave employees feeling threatened, Google employees today sent a letter to the CEO of their own company. Employees told CEO Sundar Pichai to stop hiring, “Don’t be the devil” message was given. More than 1,400 Google employees signed the letter.

Letter from employees to Google CEO:

“The implications of Alphabet’s decision to cut its workforce are global, Sundar said. The voices of employees have not been given enough attention anywhere and we know that as employees we are stronger together than we are alone. That’s why we come together around the world to make our voices heard.

We specifically ask you for the following public commitments:

1. Freeze all new hires during the layoff process. Ask for voluntary layoffs and a reduction in voluntary work time before forced layoffs. Allow employee “swaps” to further avoid forced layoffs.
2. Prioritize rehiring for all recently fired Alphabet employees. Prioritize internal transfer options, prioritize access to jobs without renegotiation, and accept a fair severance package.
3. Protect our colleagues from countries with active conflicts or humanitarian crises (Ukraine, Russia, etc.). Do not terminate employment in situations that may require workers to return to unsafe or unstable countries, adversely affecting visas. Provide extra support against these and to employees who are at risk of losing their residence permit: Assist in internal and external job searches and provide adequate gardening permits*.
4. Respect scheduled leave (maternity, babysitting, babysitting, and bereavement) and do not report until leave is over. Reported employees should be informed in person and given the opportunity to say goodbye to their colleagues.
5. Ensure that there are no discriminatory influences based on gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, racial or ethnic identity, social class, veteran status, religion, and disability.

We make a broader appeal to you and Alphabet to meet these critical commitments. Our company has long made a commitment to doing what is right by its users and employees, and these commitments will demonstrate Alphabet’s adherence to the last line of its Code of Conduct: don’t be the devil.

We know it’s within your means and ability to succeed.”

*A practice in which an employee who leaves the job does not work during the notice period and continues to receive wages throughout this period.

The last line in Google’s code of ethics that includes the phrase “Don’t be the devil”:

“And bear in mind… don’t be the devil, if you see something you don’t think is true, speak up.”