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What Lies Beneath

An Analysis of Google Fiber Texas Subcontractors, 311 Municipal Service Logs, and Public Enforcement Data

“Google aspires to be a different kind of company”

“And remember… don’t be evil, and if you see something that you think isn’t right – speak up!”

— Code of Conduct for Alphabet, Google's Parent Company

  • 46 separate subcontractors

    Google Fiber listed at least 46 separate subcontractors on municipal permit data in Austin and San Antonio since 2015

  • 94 violations and enforcement actions

    Nearly one out of every five Google Fiber contractors identified in this analysis have been named by federal regulatory authorities in a combined 94 violations and enforcement actions, 74 of them in Texas.

  • 29 OSHA violations

    Enforcement actions include at least 29 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) violations that have resulted in $227,375 in OSHA penalties, including an estimated $98,636 in penalties connected to violations with documented hospitalizations or fatalities.

  • $69,000 TX Railroad Commission penalties

    Since 2015, five Google Fiber contractors have been named in 54 separate Texas Railroad Commission enforcement actions, which include $69,000 in penalties.

  • 65 FLSA violations

    These violations also include sixty-five Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) violations where enforcement data indicated Google Fiber subcontractors owed more than $100,228.85 in employee back wages.

  • 1,406 311 service logs

    Between 2015 and 2021, the City of Austin staff generated 1,406 311 service log records referencing Google Fiber, including a 127 percent increase in total 311 service logs since 2019.

  • 380% increase in “Utility Strike/Damage”

    One out of every eight 311 service logs in this analysis was categorized by city staff as “Utility Strike/Damage,” and this analysis finds a 380% increase of this category type from 2018 to 2021.

  • Numerous public heath & safety complaints

    Other prominent complaints categorized by city staff include “Immediate Public Health & Safety” (114); “Contractor Misconduct” (120); “Cleanup” (274); and “Landscaping Damage” (373).