Workers contracted with YouTube Music claimed they were laid off during an Austin City Council meeting, prompting a plea for support from the council. The Alphabet Workers Union alleged that Google informed the workers of the layoff just before a scheduled vote by the council on a resolution calling for bargaining in good faith. Google and the subcontractor, Cognizant, disputed the workers' account, stating that the contract had simply reached its natural expiration and that the workers were not laid off. The union maintains that the workers, based in Austin, were paid low wages and had minimal benefits, and that Google's refusal to bargain with them has been deemed unlawful by the National Labor Relations Board.
Google's parent company, Alphabet, laid off the entire YouTube Music team, leading to tensions with the Alphabet Workers Union. The workers found out about the layoff while speaking at an Austin City Council meeting, where a resolution was being voted on to urge the company to negotiate with the union. The union stated that the team was receiving low pay and minimal benefits, and Google has refused to negotiate with the union since workers voted to unionize. The layoffs occurred as Alphabet and Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, faces calls for his resignation amidst growing competition and recent failures with AI technology.
The Austin City Council has approved a zoning change that will allow taller buildings to be constructed on a portion of the Sixth Street Historic District, known as "Dirty 6th." Stream Realty, which owns over 40 properties in the area, plans to transform the strip into a vibrant daytime destination by erecting mixed-use buildings and widening sidewalks. The initiative aims to address the street's current issues, including violence and the cycle of bars opening and closing. Building heights can now reach up to 140 feet, but 15 feet of existing facades must be preserved.
