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Four Google employees were fired last week for violations of data security policies; the four employees had also been active in labor organizing, and their dismissals are likely to increase workforce tensions at the tech giant, which has come under increasing criticism for its handling of sexual harassment cases, contract workers, and its work with the Department of Defense and the Chinese government. Google's workplace culture had been previously lauded for its openness and its encouragement towards employee input. The deteriorating relationship between management and employees was made more evident recently when Google cancelled a long-established series of Friday meetings which had been in place to allow employees to pose questions to senior executives. Google has also begun working with a consulting firm that has previously worked on subdue unionization efforts. An internal memo said the fired employees had repeatedly searched for and distributed information “outside the scope of their jobs.”