Introduction
Korean Finance & Service Workers’ Union
Google Korea Branch
A workers' union respects the personality of its employees.
We voice the rights of workers on an equal footing with the company.
Established for the purpose of securing employment, improving working conditions and welfare for Kooglers.
A communication channel between the employee and employer pursing for a win-win relation.
It contributes to cultivating the googleyness cultural sentiment, which is the core of Google culture, and expanding the base.
The union will communicate reasonably and represent the needs of employees to create a workplace where employees can work with respect and happiness. To this end, we need an organizational power that can represent workers on an equal footing with the company, and this starts with the participation of the majority.
History
January 2023, Discussion on the necessity of unions begins.
After witnessing a situation in which a colleague who worked with Google was fired in an instant as a result of Google global layoff impact, about 300 people gathered in a group chat to talk about the necessity of establishing a union, feeling disappointment and job insecurity about the company.
Around this time, the Google Japan Union was established.
March 2023, Preparing for establishment of unions.
Some employees of Google Korea were notified of their positions without prior coordination and were notified of recommended resignation.
While leading US IT companies have started or announced plans to have a second layoff, about 40 Google Korea members felt the need for a Google Korea workers' union and expressed their intention to actively participate in early discussions.
Initial members looked at reference cases of foreign companies in a similar environment and began to review draft union establishment procedures and regulations.
While meeting with the union managers of Microsoft Korea and SAP Korea, and listening many experiences and cases, they recognized the need to join the Korean Office and Financial Services Workers' Union, which is a member of other foreign IT company unions, rather than independent company-specific labor unions.
April 11 2023, Established the Google Korea Workers' Union
April 13 2023, Notified Google Korea company about the establishment of the union and the establishment of a branch affiliated with the Korean Office and Financial Services Workers' Union.
April 16, 2023, Received congratulatory message from UTAW (United Tech and Allied Workers, UK)
April 17, 2023, Union promotional activities
Held the first union information session (but received an email from the company not to use company facility, GVC, or Email alias for union activities)
Shared progress status with all members via e-mail
April 18, 2023, An official reply from the company regarding the establishment of the founding the Google Korea Workers'Union has been received.
April 19, 2023, Registered a Non-profit organization required for CMS setup. Start member survey.
April 20, 22, 2023, Registered a domain/opened a web site www.googlekorea.org
April 24, 2023
Google Korea Workers' Union Nickname: Gunion(Google Union) / Gunions (Union Members), determined by majority vote.
Received establishment congratulatory emails from Alphabet union executives.
April 25, 2023, Promotion of union membership during lunchtime by distributing a Flyers.
April 27, 2023
Started discussions on a contract with a labor attorney exclusively for Gunion
Received a warning email from the company about the distribution of flyers during lunchtime on the 25th.
May 2nd, 2023: Greetings and Q/A with Kakao, Naver unions.
May 9th, 2023: Opened a union bank account.
May 15th, 2023: Collective Bargaining review begins
May 22/24th, 2023: Sending an official document on the unification of negotiation windows
The company notifies Google Korea LLC(GK) employees (notice until June 7th)
Google Cloud Korea LLC(GCK) will be excluded and a separate official notice will be sent.
June 5th, 2023
Start reviewing/surveying Gunions (shared Basic Agreement doc, and got opinions on employment security agreements)
Aug. 9th, 2023: Had GK first introductory meeting (@Samjung hotel, 18:00~19:00)
Aug. 24th, 2023: Had GCK first introductory meeting (@Samjung hotel, 18:00~19:00)
Sep. 1st, 2023
1st GK Collective Bargaining Session(@Samjung hotel, 18:00~19:40)
Company did not accept any agenda of the Basic Agreement presented by Union. Company appeared to ignore and did not respect Union.
Sep. 11, 2023
Posted street banners demanding good faith negotiations around Google Korea building.
Sep. 22nd, 2023/ Oct. 23th/ Nov. 6th
Had GK Collective Bargaining Sessions 2nd, 3rd, 4th rounds (@Samjung Hotel, 18:00~19:00)
Basic Agreement negotiations in progress