YouTube Workers Strike Work Because They Are Back Working In The Office

YouTube illustration. (Photo: Javier / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - More than 40 contract workers on YouTube Music are on strike. Alphabet Works Union (AWU) representing workers said this is the first time those affiliated with Google have made a strike.

Citing AWU's official release, the workers who voted for the association were part of the YouTube Music Content Operations team through Cognizant, a subcontractor for Google and YouTube parent, namely Alphabet.

Their job is to ensure music content is available and approved for the platform.

This strike is an act in response to an order to return to work in the office next week, something many workers don't think they can do, especially they don't live near the YouTube office in Austin, Texas.

They demand a policy of returning to work that is fair, flexible, and does not threaten the safety and livelihoods of workers.

According to AWU, contractors are only paid a minimum of 19 US dollars, equivalent to IDR 286 thousand per hour, making it difficult to pay the cost of relocation, travel, or child care that they don't have to pay when working remotely.

An unnamed Cognizant spokesman told Engadget, quoted Saturday, February 4, the policy of returning to the office has been communicated to (workers) repeatedly since December 2021," he said.

They, the workers also have their respective positions in the office, with the understanding that they will work together at the Austin, Texas-based physical location.

Google hasn't commented on this. But the company has told the National Labor Relations Council, USA, they don't see the contract worker as an employee.

Although not a labor strike, 20,000 Google workers from 50 offices also participated in the strike in 2018.

The movement is in response to the company's practice of giving awards to executives accused of sexual harassment.