‘The mask is off in tech. You're getting fired if you speak out'
call notification appears, making it barely 6am where he is, on the Pacific coast of the
United States
.
What's it like in that part of the world?
'That's a big question,' the
Waterford
-born founder of The Worker Agency says, answering what was meant to be a light starter question about the weather.
'It's kind of surreal. I lived in Hong Kong when the students [in 2012] protested against the curriculum being changed. I was working for Google at the time, and I attended some of the protests, but I wasn't involved [directly]. Now I'm kind of directly involved in trying to stop what
Trump
is doing with the support of corporate America.'
READ MORE
The Irishman isn't exaggerating his current situation. Fitzgerald founded The Worker Agency in 2018. This was shortly after he did the unthinkable for many people in his position: abandoning a 10-year climb up the corporate career ladder in
and quitting his job in the tech giant's public policy unit.
The idea for The Worker Agency, which he describes as an advocacy firm, was born out of Fitzgerald's convictions and the work he did with Google that put him into the orbit of activists around the globe.
Providing public relations services to campaign groups and trade unions in the US, the agency began as a one-man operation but now employs 10 people at its offices in Berkeley in the San Francisco Bay Area. 'We help people design their strategies,' Fitzgerald explains, 'and then we help them execute on the tactics, whether that's helping pitch stories, helping to do the social media.'
His clients have included everything from racial justice campaigns to workers trying to form a union within Google parent
Alphabet
, as well as the likes of Radices, a Texas-based non-profit promoting migrant rights.
[
Why Donald Trump is only beginning his pursuit of the 'enemy within'
Opens in new window
]
In the immediate aftermath of Trump's election victory last November, Fitzgerald sat down with The Irish Times for a brief interview on the fringes of the Web Summit in Lisbon.
'Tech is really in bed with the bad stuff,' he said at the time, whether that's defence contracts or surveillance on behalf of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice). He warned that the next few years could be great for big tech but bleak for almost everyone else if Trump's policies matched his increasingly authoritarian rhetoric.
I think actually the formative part of my youth was my mum basically saying: 'Go out and live your best life and do whatever the f*** you want'
Some seven months later, it seemed like a good time to sit down with him again, given what has happened in the interim. Whether it's
the deployment of the California National Guard
to quell protests in Los Angeles, the deportation of people to a prison in El Salvador or the litany of other developments in American public life, the Trump administration's ability to execute its plans has surpassed the expectations of many of its most vocal critics.
'Since I moved to America,' Fitzgerald says, 'it has operated, for better or for worse, as a place where anyone could just say whatever the heck they wanted. It feels to me now like they're trying to turn America into a place like Singapore or somewhere, where, literally, that just doesn't happen any more. Now, I don't know if they're going to be able to do it, but they're definitely trying.'
Even in the face of these outrages, the slavishness of the tech barons – not just
Elon Musk
– to the administration has been notable. It's also novel, given Silicon Valley's previous outwardly liberal gloss that at least ticked the necessary cultural boxes.
What changed?
'They stopped pretending,' Fitzgerald says. 'The mask is off. You're getting fired if you speak out. Back in the day, [tech employees] used to be even asking questions [of their employer] in the comments on company chat boards.' In 2025, however, avenues for dissent have been barricaded up and a 'culture of fear' is very much in effect, he says.
That sense of precarity has at least something to do with the massive rounds of lay-offs big tech embarked upon a couple of years ago, Fitzgerald explained in Lisbon last November. 'The software engineers making big money in Silicon Valley, they don't know if they're going to wake up tomorrow and they're gone. So, the culture within the companies has also changed.'
Little surprise, then, that Fitzgerald says the last six months have been the busiest ever for his firm. 'I have back-to-back calls, meetings', he says, describing what a typical day looks like for him. 'Sometimes, I almost have to do what you do as a reporter, meeting sources, meeting people in tech companies, trying to build relationships.'
Berkeley, where Fitzgerald lives with his wife and daughter, has a special place in the history of American dissent. The birthplace of the US Free Speech Movement in the mid-1960s, the city was a hotbed of activism during the period of the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement. That heritage remains a strong part of the culture there.
'A lot of our neighbours came up during that era,' Fitzgerald says. 'There's a lot of people – some would call them boomers – of the older generation who are really annoyed, really sad but really determined […] They're trying to do everything they can to actually not let [Trump] do it.'
[
Finn McRedmond: It's no wonder people my age are miserable. Everyone keeps telling them they're totally screwed
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]
That sense of outrage and the desire to resist is one of the reasons The Worker Agency has been so busy, according to Fitzgerald. 'I'm kind of impressed because people aren't just letting it happen. People are resolute.'
'Resolute' is also an adjective that fits Fitzgerald. His decision to leave Google two years into the first Trump administration was born, to some extent, out of his frustrations with the company. In previous media outings he has described his dismay at the search engine giant's initial unwillingness to make a strong statement about the 45th president's mooted 'Muslim ban'. Although it eventually came out against it, Fitzgerald, who was head of policy communications at the time, has said it was a key turning point in his relationship with the company.
Fitzgerald was born in An Sean Phobal in the Gaeltacht area of Waterford. His father, a local insurance man, died when William was four. That left his mother to raise six children on her own. 'It was an interesting journey,' Fitzgerald says. 'In that my dad had done well by buying property in Dublin in the 1980s when it was tough to do that. So, he had put money aside.'
That money allowed the six children to go to boarding school. Fitzgerald's sisters went to King's Hospital in Dublin while Fitzgerald went to
Clongowes Wood College
in Co Kildare. 'Each year, I was in school with the richest boys in Ireland but at home, there was literally nothing.'
Surely this must have influenced his activist bent? Only to an extent, suggests Fitzgerald. 'I have five siblings and we're all 100 per cent different. Even at a young age, I was kind of wanting to volunteer and stuff, so I think your surroundings are one part of it.'
More important in those years was his mother's parenting style, he says. 'I think actually the formative part of my youth was my mum basically saying: 'Go out and live your best life and do whatever the f*** you want'. Like, we were getting arrested as teenagers and the police were trying to tell her we were juvenile delinquents. She was shouting at the police: 'How dare you!''
But 'no matter what', Fitzgerald says, 'she supported us and loved us' and let her six children find their own light. His siblings have gone on to do 'incredible things', he says, not least his brother Richard, who founded Augustus Media, the brand behind Lovin Dubai and other lifestyle websites in the Middle East.
Fitzgerald's work with Google, which he joined while completing a business and politics degree in Trinity College Dublin, brought him around the globe and helped shape his worldview.
'One of the first jobs I had,' he recalls, 'was flying around Asia giving out two-factor security keys to activists. I met my wife. She was one of the free speech activists in Pakistan. It was a place that kind of encouraged me to live and breathe my values in a real way.'
The job eventually took him to California, where he says he involved himself in 'Black Lives Matter stuff' and other campaigns.
'My evenings were spent during those 10 years at Google kind of providing free communications services to organisations,' he says. Starting The Worker Agency, the first task was to find some of those groups 'that might be willing to pay for this as a service'.
On this side of the pond, the public and political conversation about Trump and big tech has centred mostly on
tariffs
and the economic fallout. Fitzgerald is realistic about the reasons for that. 'Foreign direct investment is so important to Ireland,' he says, and the tax base's reliance on just a handful of American multinationals is always going to create a cautious atmosphere in Government when it comes to talking about tech.
'I remember when I was at Google, the joke was: 'Oh, if we just sneeze,
Enda Kenny
will run down.' I do understand how difficult it is.'
But tech's Trump-ward turn is going to highlight some glaring contradictions in the Government's positions. One such tension is the Coalition's messaging on
Israel and its war in Gaza
, which Taoiseach
Micheál Martin
has described as genocide. Big tech's dealings with Israel and its military are increasingly being criticised and highlighted by current and former workers at the world's most powerful companies, such as Microsoft, where the No Azure for Apartheid campaign is looking to end the group's cloud and AI contracts with the Israeli military.
Fitzgerald's former employer, Google, is facing similar pressure. Last December, the New York Times reported that lawyers at the tech giant had warned senior executives in 2021 that its cloud computing services deal with Israel, Project Nimbus, could be 'used for, or linked to, the facilitation of human rights abuses' in the
West Bank
. The Nimbus issue has been 'a lightning rod for arguments' inside Google since the start of the war in Gaza, the newspaper reported at the time. For its part, the company has denied that its technology is 'directed at highly sensitive, classified or military workloads'.
'It's going to get harder for the kind of Irish mainstream establishment to continue taking nice pictures with these tech executives,' says Fitzgerald.
'It's also things like
immigration
and the Irish [in the US]. We are impacted by that. I know there are Irish-Americans who are really struggling. I just think it will get harder [for Irish politicians] as you see more stuff happening. And it's still very early in the administration. We're not even a year in.'
What the next three years bring is anyone's guess. For Fitzgerald's part, he wants to bring The Worker Agency to Ireland in some capacity. Last week, he incorporated a company called The Worker Agency Ireland Ltd with the
Companies Registration Office
. Can we expect to see the firm open a Dublin – or Waterford – office in the near future?
'I have a real ambition [to do that],' he says. 'I feel like there are things in Ireland and the European Union that we work on from afar that we'd be much better at if we had a physical presence in Ireland. But will we have a team of three in Dublin in six months? God, I'd love that. But I can't say for sure.'
CV
Age
:
39
Family
:
Married to Sana, one child (Zaina) and another on the way
Lives
:
Berkeley, California
Something you might expect
:
'Every year, I find myself both surprised and disappointed when Waterford fall short of winning the All-Ireland hurling final.'
Something that might surprise
:
'Most days I either swim or surf somewhere around the San Francisco Bay, convincing myself it's warmer than Clonea Beach back in Dungarvan, Co Waterford'
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Irish Times
44 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Letters to the Editor, August 21st: On Norman names, Tony Holohan and the Shannon pipeline
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As I regularly read reports of the failings of the Irish health service, I feel it is very important to share my extremely positive experience. – Yours, etc, SARAH IRONSIDE, Brussels, Belgium Discerning taste Sir, – Concerning the correspondence about people not taking the top paper of the pile but rummaging and taking the second or third paper ('Discerning taste', Letters, August 19th ). A long time ago the Death Notices were printed on the back page of The Irish Times. Many people would turn over the first paper of the pile and have a quick look at the notices without having to buy the paper. – Yours, etc, SEAMUS STEPHENSON, Clontarf, Dublin 3. Sir, – Guilty as charged, I must confess that I am one of those unscrupulous Irish Times readers berated by Tony Corcoran ('Discerning taste', Letters, August 19th ). 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An exception was Ireland over the last two presidential mandates. I fear the exception may be about to end. – Yours, etc, JOHN F McELHONE, Eden Road, Rosbeg, Co Donegal. What's in a Norman name Sir, – Fintan O'Toole has, in a single article (' Sinn Féin may reject commemorating the Normans, but there are some suspiciously Saxon names in its ranks ,' Opinion, August 19th) successfully demolished this mythical concept of 'We Irish' as being descendants of the inhabitants of an ideal world in ancient times – a world of pure Gaelic Irishness. After waves of invasions (including that of the Vikings), we find the Normans arriving. While they directly came from Wales, they were in essence representing the French King Henry II, who ruled over most of France at the time. After each of these invasions, we learn that the invaders 'became more Irish than the Irish themselves'. Fast forward to the 20th century, and we see in our history books 'unusual' names of key figures who featured centrally in the struggle for Irish freedom – Hobson, Hyde, Griffith, Spring-Rice, Childers, Lemass, de Valera, Casement, Gonne, Gore-Booth etc. Now, we would not find such names among the Irish chieftains who were forced to submit to the Norman invaders. Rather, the families of these people came to Ireland in the centuries that followed, which demonstrates that as a people we have evolved over time to be the 'Irish' we are right now. The Normans form part of that evolution and. to borrow a familiar expression, they are 'part of what we are', whether some like it or not. – Yours, etc, EAMON O'FLYNN, Merrion Road, Dublin 4 Sir, – Fintan O'Toole (' Sinn Féin may reject commemorating the Normans, but there are some suspiciously Saxon names in its ranks ,' Opinion, August 19th) makes a common mistake as regards Irish surnames. In the 18th century in Ireland, many ordinary people did not have a surname, and, in order to give themselves a lift socially, they adopted the surname of the local landlord. In other words, there are many people in Ireland today, sporting particular surnames, who have no genetic connection whatsoever to those surnames. – Yours, etc, SÉAMAS de BARRA, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14. Sir, – Fintan O'Toole's recent article (' Sinn Féin may reject commemorating the Normans, but there are some suspiciously Saxon names in its ranks ,' Opinion, August 19th) reminded me of another piece in your paper a decade ago by John Grenham in the Irish Roots column on how our surnames were Anglicised. As that article concluded: 'As guides to ethnic origins, surnames in Ireland can be very treacherous indeed.' I suspect few supporters of Sinn Féin would deny the Anglo (Norman) roots of Wolfe Tone, Parnell or Pearse. 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So why is Poulaphouca not being used as a long-term solution? Poulaphouca holds 190 billion litres of water and is one of the biggest reservoirs in these islands. Poulaphouca was originally intended for water supply primarily. The greater amount of the reservoir is devoted to electricity generation, a minuscule amount of electricity in the context of the overall electricity generation of the country. This must change and water supply be given priority. Cost would be almost zero. Thames Water in England are proposing to build a facility smaller than Poulaphouca (150 billion litres) and say it is needed to secure the supply for 15 million Londoners. Fifteen million no less! Poulaphouca is the centre of any possible solution in any instance, so why build a pipeline? Just optimise beneficial use of the reservoir together with the rivers of the east and save the country several billion euro. – Yours, etc, KAY MULLANE, River Shannon Protection Alliance, Ballina, Co Tipperary.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
‘You can keep your drones': residents express concerns about drone deliveries from Dundrum at meeting with Manna boss
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READ MORE Tim Geraghty was one local residents in south Dublin, the Irish drone delivery company, Manna. Photograph: Hugh Dooley / The Irish Times. 'Don't forget, Ireland was the first country in the world to have a no smoking policy, we can also be the first country to say no drones,' he added. [ Drone operators to face fines for breaches of new regulations Opens in new window ] The meeting was called in response to a planning permission application submitted by Manna Drones Limited for the construction of an aerial delivery hub behind the Holy Cross Church on Main Street in Dundrum. A decision in the case was due on August, with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council requesting further information on the application following 'hundreds' of public observations on the plan. At the meeting, Mr Brennan highlighted the publication of the framework for the regulation of the drone sector, which he said had a 'balanced' approach to both local concerns and enabling innovation. Bobby Healy, the founder and chief executive of drone delivery service Manna, said there were plans for the operation of two drones. He said they would fly 80 metres in the air (250 feet) above homes before descending to a height of 15 metres above the delivery location and lowering the product to the ground, He said the process was 'safe and effective' but acknowledged that there are 'two big elephants in the room' in privacy and noise. 'I won't baffle you with science, or try to excuse the fact that drones do make a noise,' he said in his opening remarks to the crowd. However, he said the noise would be 'far less than you are already hearing from road traffic'. 'The level of noise while cruising is 59 decibels' with new propellers the company is seeking to introduce shortly reducing that volume to 56 decibels, which he likened to a passing car. Mr Healy said Manna works with 47 businesses in Dublin 15, where it is currently operating among other locations, and urged the local residents in attendance not to discount the voice of people that are using the service. 'Everybody is using the service in Dublin 15.' Tony, from Dundrum, who did not give his surname, disagreed with the characterisation of the noise generated by the drones. He said, at a distance of 15 metres from the ground, 'If it was quiet, you'd have no problem flying it in here,' pointing at the ceiling. 'We'd know all about it if it was flying over our heads in here,' he said, and called on Mr Healy to ensure that the noise report requested by the business was done by an independent party. Cian White, a young local resident, stood in support of the introduction of the service. 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Speaking to The Irish Times following the event, Mr Healy said the reception at the event was 'perfectly normal'. 'It stems from a lack of information available and the perception of a lack of regulation,' he said. 'The vast majority of people don't object to us, they're in favour of business, but there is a small minority that is really against it and you heard them here tonight'.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Government ‘should take advantage' of stable building costs now, say surveyors
The Government should cash in on stable building costs by 'pushing forward' with its €275 billion National Development Plan , construction and property professionals said on Thursday. Construction costs rose 1.5 per cent in the first six months of the year, a report from the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland (SCSI) said. Tomás Kelly, the society's vice-president, noted that the rate of building cost inflation had been easing over the last two years, hailing it a welcome development. 'The current period of tender price stability provides a great opportunity for Government to push forward with the much-needed infrastructure investment across a range of sectors,' Mr Kelly said. READ MORE He said the society welcomed this summer's updated National Development Plan, which earmarks €275 billion for spending on housing, water supply networks, electricity grid, transport and healthcare up to 2035. Mr Kelly said the water supply network needed investment 'urgently'. State-owned utility Uisce Éireann recently highlighted to Government the challenges it faced in building the infrastructure needed to supply water to the 300,000 new homes that the Coalition wanted built in the Republic by 2030. Why is Ireland not considered a truly rich country? Listen | 39:28 Government has allocated €36 billion of the national plan's total budget to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage . The Department of Transport will get more than €22 billion. Big projects under its supervision include the controversial MetroLink line proposed from Dublin city centre to its airport. Mr Kelly, whose society represents quantity surveyors, the construction professionals who calculate the cost of building projects, also stressed that the State should boost the electricity network. EirGrid and ESB Networks , the companies responsible for this infrastructure, are seeking regulators' approval to spend up to €19 billion over the next five years. Each government department involved has to publish individual 'sectoral investment plans' detailing how they will spend the cash allocated to them. Mr Kelly urged the Government to publish these proposals quickly to provide details on the projects likely to get under way between now and 2030.
