Covalen Workers Protest Layoffs Outside Meta’s European Headquarters

The Story

Contract workers employed by Covalen, a Dublin-based company that provides content moderation and data labeling for Meta’s AI products, protested outside Meta’s European headquarters in Dublin on Friday, according to a report from Wired. The workers were protesting planned layoffs affecting 700 employees, which Covalen attributed to “reduced demand.” Many of the affected workers will not receive severance because they have been employed for less than two years; others are offered the minimum required under Irish labor law, according to the Communications Workers’ Union. The workers voted to strike, asking for double the current severance and payment for those under two years, and for Meta to release them from a six-month cooldown period that prevents them from working on other Meta accounts. The protest began at Covalen’s office and marched to Meta’s campus, involving over 150 people. Meta spokesperson Erica Sackin said the company would reduce reliance on third-party vendors and that staffing decisions were up to Covalen. Covalen did not respond to a request for comment. The workers plan further escalating industrial action over the next month.

Key Facts

• Covalen told 700 employees in April their jobs were at risk, citing “reduced demand.”
• Many affected workers will not receive severance because they have been employed for less than two years; others get the minimum payout of two weeks’ pay per year of employment under Irish labor law.
• The workers voted to strike, demanding double the offered severance and payment for those under two years, and that Meta release them from a six-month cooldown clause.
• Over 150 people participated in the march from Covalen’s office to Meta’s campus in Dublin.
• Meta spokesperson Erica Sackin stated the company would reduce reliance on third-party vendors and called staffing decisions Covalen’s responsibility.
• This is the second round of Covalen cuts since November; the headcount stands to be slashed by almost half, according to the CWU.
• The majority of affected workers are data annotators who check AI-generated material for illicit content and test safety guardrails.
• Irish labor law does not require employers to recognize unions; Covalen has not recognized the CWU.
• Workers plan escalating industrial action over the next month.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

It is unclear whether Covalen will revise its severance packages or whether Meta will use its leverage as an anchor client to pressure Covalen. The outcome of the planned escalating industrial action is not yet known.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.

Key Figures

• Erica Sackin, Meta spokesperson
• John Bohan, organizer at the Communications Workers’ Union (CWU)
• Aadel Obaid, team manager at Covalen
• Nick Bennett, affected employee
• Amine Mouhouvi, Covalen data annotator
• Owen O’Reilly, Covalen content moderator
• Tulio Dias de Assis, quality analyst representing affected workers
• Michael Doherty, professor of law at Maynooth University

Sources: Wired