Why Google DeepMind workers in UK are trying to unionise over company’s Pentagon AI deals
Workers at Google DeepMind’s UK office have launched a historic push to unionize, citing deep concerns about the company’s expanding military contracts and what they describe as a retreat from the ethical principles it has publicly championed for two decades.
The move, supported by the overwhelming majority of union members currently affiliated with the Communications Workers Union, puts Google at the center of a growing conflict between Silicon Valley’s AI ambitions and the conscience of the workforce building them.
What Triggered the Unionization Proposal at Google DeepMind?
The immediate catalyst was an agreement Google signed with the US Department of Defense last Friday allowing Gemini AI models to be used for “any lawful purpose” in classified military networks.
Critics, including many within Google itself, argue that the agreement contains few enforceable limits and could open avenues for autonomous weapons development and mass surveillance of American citizens.
Google isn’t the only one signing such deals. OpenAI, xAI, Nvidia, Microsoft and Amazon have all agreed to similar agreements.
Anthropic rejected a decision that led the Pentagon to order the military and all defense contractors to stop using its products and labeled the company a “supply chain risk”; It’s a name that Anthropic is currently challenging in court.
The reaction on Google was quite big. More than 600 employees signed an open letter Tuesday opposing the Pentagon deal, with several other employees speaking out in the press and on social media.
How Did the Unionization Vote Come About?
The Communications Workers Union and Unite the Union are jointly seeking official recognition to represent around 1,000 staff at Google DeepMind’s London office. In a vote among CWU members already on DeepMind, 98% supported the proposal.
Workers wrote to management requesting formal union recognition and were given 10 working days to accept the request voluntarily or through mediated negotiations; Otherwise, a legal process will be initiated that will require recognition.
No Voting Was Held for Unionization
A spokesperson for Google DeepMind was quoted as saying: Luck, “Google UK recently received a letter from Unite and the Communications Workers Union demanding recognition of Google DeepMind UK employees.
There was no vote on unionization at this stage of the process. “We have always valued constructive dialogue with our employees and will continue to focus on creating a positive and successful workplace.”
The spokesperson added that the CWU request represents standard process and is at a very early stage, adding that there is no recognized union at Google DeepMind or Google UK yet.
Requests of Google DeepMind Employees
Beyond official recognition, employees made a number of specific demands. The most important of these is the end of Google AI used by the US Department of Defense and the Israeli military.
Workers are also demanding the reinstatement of a company pledge first issued in 2018 following employee protests against Project Maven that Google would not develop artificial intelligence for weapons or surveillance in violation of internationally accepted norms. This pledge was quietly removed from Google’s public website in February 2025.
Additional demands include the establishment of an independent ethics oversight body and the right of employees to refuse to work on projects they find morally objectionable.
A Broader Campaign Against Google’s Military Contracts
The CWU says the unionization bid falls within a broader campaign that includes personal protests and research strikes, with employees threatening to avoid work on key products including the Gemini AI assistant.
A Google DeepMind employee with knowledge of the union’s offer, who asked to remain anonymous to speak freely about their employer, said: Luck: “Hopefully this will help DeepMind and Google leadership develop employee backbone to stand up to what they have preached and publicly affirmed as our values and principles over the last two decades.”
Lessons of Project Maven and the Erosion of Workers’ Leverage
This effort draws directly on the memory of 2018, when thousands of Google employees signed a petition and many resigned in protest of Project Maven, a Pentagon contract to apply artificial intelligence to drone image analysis.
Internal pressure ultimately forced Google to abandon this agreement, demonstrating the power employees can wield when they organize.
However, this effect has since diminished. Cost-cutting measures, increased AI investments, and widespread layoffs in the tech sector have collectively weakened the bargaining position of workers across the industry.
