Within a month of its inception, the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU), launched earlier this month by Google employees in the US and Canada, is facing unexpected challenges after forming an international alliance called Alpha Global.
The founding of Alpha Global became known after The Verge released a report on January 25th.
Alpha Global was reported to be made up of 13 different unions representing workers in 10 countries including the US, UK and Switzerland.
But union members in the US say they had little idea about the new alliance until it was reported in the media.
The Alphabet Workers Union was formed to address issues such as wage differentials, retaliation, and controversial government contracts. It is affiliated with Communications Workers of America, a national union that represents workers in telecommunications and media.
After the formation of the global alliance, organizers of the Alphabet Workers Union are considering pushing the group to separate from the CWA, The Verge reported on Saturday, citing multiple sources.
The role of CWA in announcing the global alliance is also to be examined by a committee appointed by the Alphabet Workers Union.
The upheaval gives an indication of the challenges facing the AWU, created by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for enforcing US labor law regarding collective bargaining and unfair labor practices not be recognized
The AWU, which now has over 800 members, cannot oblige Alphabet or its subsidiaries such as Google to negotiate a contract for their members, the report says.
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