LONDON — DeepMind employees formally initiated unionization negotiations with Google in May 2025, represented by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Unite the Union. Google had denied the initial request for union recognition but agreed to participate in negotiations arbitrated by a third-party body.

An initial meeting regarding unionization occurred on a Wednesday, attended by union officers, DeepMind employees involved in the unionization efforts, a third-party arbitrator, and DeepMind HR representatives. Senior management figures from DeepMind did not attend this meeting. CWU officer John Chadfield stated, "Recognition talks not being attended by senior management at the opening stage is a leading indicator that a company isn't engaging in good faith. It's just a time-wasting exercise." Chadfield also said, "Negotiations have stalled at an early stage." DeepMind denies that negotiations have stalled, according to Google DeepMind spokesperson Al Verney. "The first step in the process is to define who the unions want to represent and the parties agreed on next steps to do this," Verney said.

During the meeting, a DeepMind employee read a prepared letter on behalf of colleagues supporting unionization. The letter stated, "Instead of having meaningful dialogue with its employees about our concerns, Google DeepMind workers have been treated as a problem handed off to HR." DeepMind HR representatives reportedly interrupted the employee reading the statement on two occasions. The letter also alleged that Google attempted to suppress open dialogue between DeepMind employees and to quash dissent by closing or reconfiguring internal chat channels, preventing staff from responding to company-wide communications about the unionization bid, and reprimanding employees who attempted to bypass these restrictions. A DeepMind employee said of these actions, "The intention was to intimidate." Another DeepMind employee stated, "These are well-established union-busting techniques." Verney said, "We'll continue to engage constructively in the process and have open dialogue with employees." He further stated that "For topics outside of this, we continue to offer employees a variety of other channels and opportunities to discuss their views."

The push to unionize at DeepMind began in February 2025. This followed Google's parent company, Alphabet, removing a pledge from its ethics guidelines in February 2025 that prohibited the use of AI for purposes like weapons development and surveillance. A DeepMind employee remarked, "Those principles were a big part of why I joined DeepMind." Chadfield indicated that if negotiations in London do not advance, employees will request an arbitration committee to compel Google to recognize the unions. He added, "We're hoping that Google genuinely comes to the table and we can agree something amicably. [But] both sides have to come to the table with some concessions. Google is coming with no concessions whatsoever."

Why It Matters

The formal start of unionization negotiations between DeepMind employees and Google marks a development in employee-employer relations within the technology sector. The allegations of bad-faith engagement and stalled talks from union representatives, contrasted with Google's statements, indicate potential challenges in reaching an agreement. The employees' efforts follow earlier changes to Google's ethical guidelines regarding AI usage, which some employees cited as a motivation for their organizing.