Google has been accused of violating labor law by restricting employee discussion of its ongoing antitrust case. The Alphabet Workers Union filed a charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) after Google management asked workers to "refrain" from talking about the case.

In an email sent by Google's president of global affairs, Kent Walker, employees were directed to refrain from commenting on the case, both internally and externally. The union argues that this directive could chill protected concerted activity, such as discussions about working conditions, which are protected by labor law.

Labor law expert Charlotte Garden notes that the NLRB will need to weigh Google's legitimate business interests against the potential chilling effect on employee speech. The board will investigate how employees interpreted the email and how the company has responded to similar situations in the past.

The Alphabet Workers Union sees this as part of a larger pattern of Google silencing or retaliating against workers who speak out about working conditions or raise complaints. The case could take several weeks to resolve, and its outcome could have significant implications for the tech industry's approach to labor law and employee speech.

As the antitrust case continues, with the Justice Department suggesting remedies that could include breaking up Google's Android and Chrome businesses, the ability of employees to discuss the potential impact on their jobs could be crucial. The NLRB's decision will be closely watched by the tech community, which is increasingly grappling with the intersection of labor law, corporate power, and employee rights.