New turn in DeepMind union push: unions apply to UK committee

Google DeepMind staff in the UK want a union. The push began in February 2025. Alphabet then removed a pledge from its ethics guidelines not to use AI for weapons development.

On Thursday, the Communication Workers Union and Unite the Union applied to the Central Arbitration Committee. This UK government body resolves disputes between employers and unions. Google DeepMind staff put the 2 unions forward as joint representatives. About 1,000 staff in product roles can become union members if the unions win. The law makes the company respect the ballot result.

What is new

Meetings between staff, the unions and the company on a voluntary union did not work. Staff think the company did not see their demands as important. Union officer John Chadfield tells that management sent it to human resources, who treated it as a simple office task.

The proof

The source gives no count of staff who want the union. The committee must first make sure that sufficient staff want it. Staff think a ballot can occur in the next months.

What the other side says

Google DeepMind did not give a comment. In April, Google spokeswoman Jenn Crider told that Google is proud to work on national security with other companies. She told that AI must not be used for domestic mass surveillance or autonomous weapons without human oversight.

Insight: Staff move from talks to the law

The staff object to company agreements with the US and Israeli military. They can tell Google to stop these contracts if the union wins. This reads as a move to the law, because voluntary meetings did not work. It can give staff a part in how AI is sold. Monitor the committee decision.