LONDON, May 20 - Google (GOOGL) said it refused a request from two UK unions for voluntary recognition but has proposed negotiating through ACAS, the state-backed conciliation service. Under British rules, the company’s response triggers a 20-working-day period for talks about recognition, a window that can be extended if both sides agree. If negotiations do not reach an outcome, the unions may pursue statutory recognition via the independent Central Arbitration Committee.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) and Unite earlier this month sent Google a formal letter seeking voluntary recognition, following an employee-organised vote that showed support for unionisation at Google’s AI unit DeepMind. The company confirmed receipt of that letter, which under UK procedures gave it 10 days to either accept voluntary recognition, reject the request or enter negotiations.
In an emailed statement, a Google spokesperson said: "We’ve declined the unions’ request for voluntary recognition to bargain collectively on pay, hours and holiday, but we have offered to meet via ACAS, which is a standard next step." The spokesperson added: "We continue to value the constructive and direct dialogue that we have with our employees about building a positive and successful workplace."
Britain’s recently enacted employment rights legislation, which came into force last month, changed the recognition process by lowering certain thresholds and simplifying some procedural steps for unions. Google employs about 7,000 people in the United Kingdom, a figure that includes staff at DeepMind.
Workers’ rights organisations have accused major technology firms globally of using tactics described as "union-busting" to discourage unionisation. The companies involved dispute that characterisation, saying they prefer direct discussions with employees rather than formal collective bargaining arrangements.
Context and procedural implications
By declining voluntary recognition but offering ACAS-mediated talks, Google has deferred a potential statutory route that could force recognition if negotiations fail. The 20-working-day window created by this response is the next formal stage under current UK rules, unless both parties agree to extend it.
The outcome of the ACAS-led discussions will determine whether the matter proceeds to the Central Arbitration Committee for statutory recognition, should talks break down.