DUBLIN — Contract workers employed by Covalen gathered outside Meta’s offices in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday afternoon to protest planned layoffs and demand improved severance terms. More than 150 workers first assembled at Covalen’s headquarters at 1 p.m. local time before marching to Meta’s nearby European headquarters.

Covalen, a Dublin-based company that provides content moderation and data labeling services for Meta to fine-tune its AI products, informed 700 employees in April that their jobs were at risk due to “reduced demand.” According to the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU), many of those affected have worked for less than two years and therefore will not receive any severance under Irish law. Covalen is offering two weeks’ pay per year of employment—the legal minimum—for eligible workers.

The protesters are demanding double the current severance offer and some form of payment for those employed less than two years. “We’re just getting the crumbs here,” said Aadel Obaid, a Covalen team manager affected by the layoffs. “Give us a little bit of the pie.”

John Bohan, an organizer at the Communications Workers’ Union, said Meta could use its influence as Covalen’s primary client to secure better terms. “These workers exist in a situation where they’re constantly using Meta tools, they’re on Meta platforms,” Bohan said. “But they’re denied all the privileges and benefits of Meta staff.” He also urged Meta to waive a six-month “cooldown period” that bars laid-off Covalen workers from joining other Meta contractors.

The protest marks the third strike action by Covalen workers since May. The CWU said Covalen has reassigned some affected employees but that most remaining layoffs will be completed by the end of June. This follows a prior round of cuts in November, with the company’s total headcount expected to drop by nearly half across both rounds.

Michael Doherty, professor of law at Maynooth University, criticized Ireland’s labor framework, noting that unlike in the U.S. or U.K., Irish law does not compel employers to recognize unions that have employee support. “The big weakness in Ireland is this utter inability even to get the employer to sit down,” Doherty said. “It’s pretty much open season.” He also said, “Call me cynical, but I don’t believe much in morals when it comes to labor rights.” Covalen has not recognized the CWU, according to the union, and did not respond to a request for comment.