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United Tech & Allied Workers

@utaw.tech

United Tech & Allied Workers, organising across UK & NI | The first union for tech workers, by tech workers | A branch of CWU | 📧 contact@utaw.tech

88 Posts1755 Follower131 Folgt
United Tech & Allied Workers@utaw.tech · 5d ago

Our branch secretary Duncan wrote about the limits of legalism and why organising is the way forward for workers, have a read: utaw.tech/news/anti-le...

“Can my boss do [bad thing]?” is a question often asked by workers to their union reps. It’s an important question – one of our tasks as a union is to ensure we understand our rights as workers. It should be rephrased though, because people and organisations can and do breach workers rights and behave in all sorts of ways they shouldn’t. The real question is “what can we do when my boss does [bad thing]?”. A right is as good as our ability to enforce it.

utaw.tech

United Tech & Allied Workers@utaw.tech · 3w ago

We're proud to be a sponsor of this year's @emfcamp.bsky.social. UTAW members are around this week at the camp. Come + find us to learn about how UTAW is organising across the tech sector + maybe even grab a sticker or two. For members on the UTAW Discord, find the emfcamp-2026 channel to say hi.

Andreas Kirsch@blackhc.bsky.social · 3w ago

As published by @utaw.tech: utaw.tech/news/trust-... The full essay, with all sources and easier to read citations, is here: www.blackhc.net/essays/trus... Speaking in my personal capacity as a UTAW member, not on behalf of Google or DeepMind.

Trust is not Governance

Google DeepMind's reported Pentagon contract shows why trust and safety culture can't substitute for real governance: independent oversight, transparency, accountability; and protected employee voice.

blackhc.net

Andreas Kirsch@blackhc.bsky.social · 3w ago

I work at Google DeepMind. This won't make me popular. But it's all public reporting: 2014: DeepMind reportedly sold to Google on conditions: no military use, independent oversight 2026: a Pentagon contract for "any lawful government purpose" Not one safeguard survived intact

Collage titled "Trust is not Governance — an essay from inside Google DeepMind, written in personal capacity." A 2014 memorandum, "Conditions of the Acquisition," lists: military applications of DeepMind technology banned; deployment decisions before an independent ethics board (as reported in Mallaby's The Infinity Machine). Red threads lead to a 2026 U.S. Department of Defense agreement for classified networks reading "any lawful government purpose," with safety settings and filters adjusted at the government's request and no contractor veto (reported terms, The Information, Apr. 2026). Below: a 2018 AI Principles strip ("no weapons, no surveillance") stamped DROPPED 2025, and a Project Mario 2016–2021 tag stamped ABANDONED.
@aldtu.bsky.social · last mo.

I stand before you today because we are witnessing a coordinated, systemic attack on disabled workers - an attack that is being dressed up as "reform" but feels like a declaration of war buff.ly/Gqb9XHd @marisharay.bsky.social @cwunews.bsky.social @utaw.tech @stevedarlingmp.bsky.social

Recommitting to Action Against Disability Cuts

Conference, Chair, Comrades, Lee Elliott, I stand before you today because we are witnessing a coordinated, systemic attack on disabled workers - an attack that is being dressed up as "reform" but…

buff.ly

Owen Blacker@owen.blacker.me.uk · last mo.

Super pleased to see UK friends and comrades from Wiki Workers United join my own trades union, @utaw.tech Welcome friends!

Create Some Good@createsomegood.bsky.social · last mo.

Exciting unionization update: the UK branch of wiki workers united is filing for recognition! 1000+ volunteer wikipedia editors have pledged solidarity to staff at WWU, and wikimedia said they would cooperate with unionization efforts en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped... #unions #unionization

Tim Newman@tnewmsblues.bsky.social · 3mo ago

“Meta’s workers are paying the price for management’s ⁠reckless, expensive bets. While execs chase speculative AI, staff face job cuts, draconian surveillance & the cruel reality of being forced to train inefficient systems positioned to replace them” @utaw.tech www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

Exclusive: Meta employees launch protest against mouse-tracking tech at US offices

Flyers at U.S. ‌offices ​encouraged staffers to sign an online petition against the move.

reuters.com

United Tech & Allied Workers@utaw.tech · 3mo ago

BREAKING: Google DeepMind workers in UK have voted 98% in favour of unionising — demanding an end to AI use by Israel and the US military for perpetrating genocide in Gaza. If successful, they’ll be the first frontier AI lab in the world to unionise.

GOOGLE DEEPMIND WORKERS IN UNION RECOGNITION BID - 98% of Google DeepMind members vote YES
Tim Newman@tnewmsblues.bsky.social · 3mo ago

"'Even if AI isn’t capable of taking everyone’s jobs, it still weakens bargaining power… companies feel like they can say, ‘let’s try downsizing, let’s say it’s AI.’' But the jobs don’t disappear. They’re simply reassigned to external contractors on lower pay, and with fewer benefits."

Grace Blakeley@graceblakeley.substack.com · 3mo ago

Organised workers are the greatest threat to big tech. If workers organise, they can prove that tech companies aren’t all-powerful monoliths floating above the real economy. Like all corporations, they need labour to survive. And labour can fight back. open.substack.com/pub/gracebla...