GOOGLE workers have secured the right to set up a new Europe-wide council to engage directly with management over decisions such as job cuts.
The council, which is not a union, will be based in Dublin.
Google recently finalised an agreement with workers to establish the European Works Council (EWC), an internal group giving workers the right to be consulted by management over “transnational” issues such as mergers and acquisitions, or job cuts.
The EWC’s establishment comes amid a wave of redundancies in the tech sector.
Under the agreement, the council will be registered under Irish law, which means any dispute between the company and the council across Google’s European operations will be dealt with in the Republic.
In February, Google announced plans to cut up to 12,000 jobs globally, including 240 from its Irish workforce.
The overall Irish figure is a 4.3 per cent reduction, lower than the 6 per cent cut being applied worldwide.
The establishment of the EWC comes after a group of 153 employees from 11 Google offices in Europe reportedly petitioned the management earlier this month to create a council that will represent European employees' interests.
Google will soon start negotiating with its workers on the council's scope.
Employee representatives from more than 35 Google offices across the continent may make up the council and meet several times yearly in Dublin, sources said.
The European Union requires the establishment of works councils when enough employees of a company in at least two countries file a request for a council through writing. The tech giant has a works council in France while staff are setting up a similar council in Switzerland.
Google employs 5,500 people directly in the Republic, with an additional 4,000 contract and temporary workers. It has invested billions in Ireland in the past 20 years, including more than €1.5 billion in the past five years.
