Tech

‘People are realising that work won’t love you back’: Why tech workers are turning to unions

The idea of a tech union in Ireland would have seemed fanciful just a few years ago, but the recent batch of layoffs in the sector has changed the game

Members of the Alphabet Workers Union hold a rally outside a Google office in New York earlier this month: a ‘large group’ of employees has joined a union since the company started laying off staff. Picture: Getty

On a cold morning in the first week of February, bleary-eyed Google staff arriving for work in Dublin were met at the door of their office by a man handing out bright-blue leaflets with a striking message: join a union.

Many staff walked straight past the man attempting to press the piece of paper into their hands, but others stopped for a look.

“External shareholders have a large say in how the company is run,” ...