Bloomberg reports that Google sent out a company-wide memo today confirming that it had fired four employees for clear and repeated violations of our data security policies, saying those workers were involved in systematic searches for other employees materials and work, continued to do so after warnings, and leaked some of that information outside the company.
Its not clear who the other two staffers are, or whether another staffer reportedly fired on November 12th was among the four who had been dismissed.
Some 20,000 Google employees staged a walkout last November to protest sexual misconduct by Google executives, most recently leading to an investigation by the companys board.
But one way or another, Google seems to be pushing employee organizers out of the company: Claire Stapleton and Meredith Whittaker, two organizers of that Google Walkout, alleged that theyd been retaliated against by company management, and wound up leaving in June and July respectively. Some employees participated in a sit-in to protest against that alleged retaliation, and walkout organizers demanded that Google investigate its own HR department.In September, Google reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board that required it to clarify that its policies do not prevent employees from discussing workplace issues.
The New York Times reported last week that Google has hired a consulting firm known for helping companies crack down against employee dissent, one that explicitly advertises union vulnerability assessments among other services.
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