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

Google DeepMind staff in the UK have escalated their effort to unionise, asking a government body to verify whether they have enough support to hold a ballot. If workers vote to unionise, the result would be legally binding, giving employees a route to collective bargaining and a greater say in how the company develops and deploys AI.

The Communication Workers Union and Unite the Union filed the application with the Central Arbitration Committee after talks with the company failed to satisfy staff. Around 1,000 people in product-focused roles could be eligible. The campaign began in February 2025 after Alphabet removed an ethics pledge against using AI for purposes such as weapons development; employees also object to Google DeepMind’s agreements with the US and Israeli militaries and say they want the company to withdraw from them.