According to Bloomberg reports, the acting head of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently revealed that Google “arguably violated” US labor law by illegally firing three workers for organizing activities.
While on May 5, the NLRB reversed an earlier decision rejecting claims by Sophie Waldman, Rebecca Rivers, and Paul Duke that Google fired them in retaliation for their labor activism, Acting Solicitor General Peter Sung Ohr asked the NLRB’s general counsel’s office to amend the complaint accusing Google of unlawfully terminating former Google employees, Laurence Berland and Kathryn Spiers, to include Waldman, Rivers, and Duke.
According to Google, four employees, Berland, Waldman, Rivers and Duke, were fired for violating privacy rules, but the employees disputed that, saying it was not true.
The affected workers said they were fired in retaliation for trying to organize at their workplace, and their dismissal served as a warning to other employees.
While their trial is expected to begin in June, a Google spokesperson in an email to The Verge said: “Our thorough investigation found the individuals were involved in systematic searches for other employees’ materials and work, including distributing confidential business and client information. As the hearing on these matters moves forward, we’re very confident in our decision and legal position.”
For more information, read the original story in The Verge