Google DeepMind staff in the UK ask government body to back union vote

In short: UK employees at Google DeepMind have asked a government body to step in so they can hold a formal vote on forming a union.

What happened

Two unions, the Communication Workers Union and Unite the Union, filed an application to the UK’s Central Arbitration Committee (CAC). The CAC is a government body that helps settle disputes between employers and unions.

The unions are asking the CAC to confirm that enough workers support the idea of unionizing. If the CAC agrees, it can trigger an official ballot. In that case, Google DeepMind would have to follow the result under UK law.

According to WIRED, around 1,000 UK staff in product-focused roles could qualify for union membership if the effort succeeds. Staff involved in the campaign told colleagues by email to take part in the expected ballot in the coming months. They said they want collective bargaining, which is a way for workers to negotiate as a group instead of one by one.

This move comes after meetings between employees, the unions, and company representatives did not lead to a voluntary agreement. A union official said staff felt their concerns were not being taken seriously.

The union push began in February 2025 after Alphabet, Google’s parent company, removed a pledge from its ethics guidelines that said it would not use AI for certain purposes like weapons. Some employees also object to contracts linked to the US and Israeli militaries, and say they would want Google to exit those deals if they unionize. Google has previously defended working with government organizations, and did not immediately respond to WIRED’s request for comment.

Why it matters

This is a test of how much say AI workers can have over how their work is used. It is like employees trying to get a seatbelt rule added before the car goes faster. If a union vote goes ahead, other AI labs in the UK may watch closely.

Source: Wired