Google employees met with the Justice Department’s antitrust division last month to share workers’ views ahead of the government’s expected proposal to break up the company. Their message? As the DOJ attempts to end Google’s search monopoly, any effective remedy must ensure that workers are protected and empowered to speak out.

Three members of the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU) met virtually with DOJ Antitrust Division staff on Oct. 23, workers who attended the meeting said. The edge exclusively. During the hour-long conversation, Google employees urged the government to consider the impact of court-ordered remedies on workers and ensure workers are protected and aware of their right to share their compliance concerns without facing retaliation.

The government is considering a series of possible solutions designed to break Google’s stranglehold on the online search market, which Justice Amit Mehta called an illegal monopoly. In its initial high-level remedy proposal, the company considered expanding Google’s Chrome browser and Android operating system, as well as less invasive solutions, such as banning certain contract terms and requiring a license for some of its data. The DOJ is expected to file a more refined version of this proposed remedy on Wednesday.

If Google is broken up, some workers could see their jobs radically changed or even disappear. But AWU members say the company has dissuaded them from raising concerns about the company’s future. The union filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board earlier this year, led by a top executive asking employees to refrain from talking about the matter “both internally and ‘externally’. (Google spokesman Peter Schottenfels said The edge that the company “simply asked employees not to speak about pending litigation on Google’s behalf without prior approval.” “)

“Any remedies will fail if workers are afraid of retaliation and unable to voice their concerns,” says Parul Koul, a software engineer at Google and president of the AWU. Alan McAvinney, another Google software engineer and president of the union, says that in six years at Google, they have noticed an increase in retaliation.

Given the instructions from Google management and past accusations from former employees, Koul says she is aware of the “inherent risk in having these conversations and advocating for ourselves.” But in order to improve conditions for workers, Koul says, “we felt it was imperative for us to speak up and make sure our voices were part of the conversation, even if there is fear.” to do it.”

Koul and McAvinney did not argue for or against any particular remedy, acknowledging that there is likely a range of opinions within such a large workforce. But they want to make sure workers’ voices are included in the debate. “The fact that instead of (Google) engaging us in this conversation, what they actually told us was ‘don’t even talk about it,’ that’s really our problem here,” says Koul .

Google employees recognize that whatever the DOJ proposes could impact their jobs, whether it changes their daily lives or the number of certain job titles that exist, Koul says. “Our approach really stems from the feeling that there is no decision about us without us,” she says.