Spring 2025 hasn’t been kind to the tech world—not because of a market crash or a failed product launch, but because of something far more personal. Across major cities, from San Francisco to London, tech workers are standing up, walking out, and speaking out. The reason? Mass layoffs that have gutted teams, erased entire departments, and left thousands scrambling to pick up the pieces.
This isn’t your typical industry correction. It feels different this time—sharper, more emotional, and far more public. The spark? A major round of layoffs at Block, the fintech company behind Cash App and Square, where nearly 1,000 jobs vanished overnight.
San Francisco Boils Over
When Block announced in March that it was cutting 931 positions—8% of its workforce—the shockwaves were immediate. CEO Jack Dorsey called it a “strategic shift,” saying the company needed to shed roles that no longer aligned with its focus. But to many inside the company, it felt like something else entirely: betrayal. The layoffs hit especially hard because they came without severance or extended benefits, leaving hundreds of workers stunned—and angry.
That anger spilled into the streets just days later. On March 28, hundreds of former Block employees and supporters gathered outside the company’s downtown San Francisco headquarters. What started as a company-specific protest quickly grew into a wider movement. People held signs that read “End Tech Greed” and “Code Doesn’t Bleed—We Do”, while chants of “People over profits!” echoed down Market Street. By midday, the crowd had swelled to more than 1,500.
But the frustration wasn’t just about Block. As layoffs piled up across the industry—more than 24,000 tech jobs gone in the first few months of the year—workers were fed up. This was about an entire industry making billions while showing the door to the very people who built it.
What the Workers Are Demanding
Protesters weren’t just venting—they came prepared with a list of clear, pointed demands:
- Fair Severance and Health Coverage: At least 12 weeks of severance pay and continued health benefits for laid-off employees.
- Transparency in Layoff Decisions: Workers want to understand how—and why—layoffs were decided. Many suspect automation and AI are playing a bigger role than companies admit.
- Prioritizing Jobs Over Margins: A call for tech firms to put people ahead of investor expectations and short-term profits.
Former Block software engineer Maria Chen, who addressed the rally, put it bluntly: “We gave our time, our skills, our nights and weekends. And now we’re being thrown out like we didn’t matter.”
Her words struck a chord. Similar protests have since popped up in Austin, Seattle, and even London, where workers from companies like TikTok and HPE have been hit with layoffs of their own.
The Industry and Political Response
Block initially tried to stay quiet, releasing only a short statement that echoed Dorsey’s earlier comments. But as the protests gained steam and media coverage grew, the company backpedaled slightly. On April 2, they offered a one-time payout equal to four weeks’ salary for those affected—still well short of what workers were asking for, but more than the nothing they were initially offered.
Other companies took notice. HPE, which announced 2,500 layoffs of its own in March, has since offered modest severance and job placement services in cities like San Francisco. TikTok, on the other hand, has remained silent, despite internal unrest and mounting pressure.
California’s government, at least, seems to be paying attention. Governor Gavin Newsom called the layoffs “a wake-up call,” pledging to expand unemployment benefits for tech workers. San Francisco’s mayor, Daniel Lauer, went even further, floating a temporary “Tech Worker Relief Fund” that would offer emergency grants—partially funded by a short-term tax on high-revenue tech firms.
At the national level, though, the response has been… less enthusiastic. The Biden administration, now in its final months, released a lukewarm statement criticizing “corporate overreach” but offered no clear path forward. President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming team, including Elon Musk—slated to head a newly created Department of Government Efficiency—has signaled little appetite for regulation or worker protections. Musk’s own posts on social media, which included cheering on government layoffs earlier this year, don’t exactly inspire hope.
A Flashpoint Moment for Tech Workers
What’s happening in San Francisco—and in cities around the globe—is more than just a response to job cuts. It’s the tech industry’s reckoning with years of unchecked growth and a culture that has often prioritized speed, scale, and shareholder returns over sustainability and people.
In past downturns, workers may have grumbled quietly. This time, they’re speaking up. They’re organizing. They’re protesting. For an industry that has long portrayed itself as a meritocracy driven by innovation, the human toll of those ambitions is now impossible to ignore.
As of April 8, protests are still going strong. Daily marches continue outside Block’s offices, and there’s talk of a national day of action—“Tech Workers Strike Back”—later this month. Whether these movements lead to lasting changes like stronger severance protections, more transparent hiring and firing practices, or a realignment of values within tech companies remains to be seen.
But one thing’s certain: the days of silent exits and quietly signed NDAs may be over. The people behind the platforms and the products are finally making noise—and the industry is going to have to listen.