The Labor Board Has Ruled In Favor Of Striking Youtube Music Workers

After what appears to be a major victory for YouTube Music workers, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has decided that Google and global staffing agency Cognizant are jointly responsible for their employment.

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After Monday's announcement, Alphabet Inc, Google's parent company, will have to bargain with its workers if it works out successfully in organizing them if Google's parent company is legal required to do so.

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The NLRB has now determined that Alphabet's argument that it is not the workers' actual employer and is not responsible for collective bargaining has been rendered invalid by the regional director in Texas of the NLRB.

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'Google exercises direct and immediate control over matters related to benefits, work hours, supervision of employees and work direction,' the regional director wrote in an email to Trade Algo, according to Trade Algo.

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After filing a petition last October, 58 YouTube Music employees went on strike in February.

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Three weeks later, Cognizant announced that in-person work would be required for workers who were hired fully remote, beginning on February 6, giving some workers and their families only three months to relocate. Those who refused to make the move were told that their jobs would be terminated if they refused.

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Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar have joined the campaign to organize, writing to Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai demanding recognition of workers' union rights.

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Subcontracted workers win major victory with Labor Board decision

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In addition to opening the door for better wages and working conditions for subcontracted workers, the NLRB ruling could also open the door for more subcontracted workers in other industries.

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As a result of the decision, YouTube worker Sam Regan said, "We are proud to win a precedent-setting victory for ourselves as well as workers across the country who are being denied responsibility for their workers' livelihoods by companies that have innovated new ways to evade responsibility for their workers' livelihoods through subcontracting, gig work, and other poor employment practices."