The laundry list of fired organizers at Amazon has grow suspiciously lengthy , and the National Labor Relations Board has noticed .
A regional director for the NLRB has rule meritoriousness for two activists ’ lay claim that Amazon unjustlyfiredthem last year . From 2019 - 2020 , exploiter experience designers Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa conspicuously advocated forclimate justiceandwarehouse workers ’ safety , along with thousands of other workers . In tandem bicycle with their protest — particularly call out AWS forfacilitatingoil and natural gas extraction — Amazontightened its ruleson employee speech . Amazon by and by used the rules to justify threat to fire Cunningham and Costa .
The NLRB does n’t offer specifics on the regional director ’s finding . But if the case necessitate the convention change , it ’s exceptional : it suggests that Amazon ca n’t simply rearrange its insurance policy in orderliness to hush up protest .
Amazon workers begin to gather in front of the Spheres, participating in the climate strike Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, in Seattle.Photo: Elaine Thompson (AP)
The New York Times firstreported the news on Monday .
If Amazon refuses to settle with its former employee , the case proceeds to a hearing , which could eventually wind through the courts .
Cunningham and Costa defied Amazon ’s order to stay on silent , reason that the number supersedes Amazon ’s PR insurance policy . “ I talk up because I ’m terrified by the trauma the climate crisis is already causing , and I dread for my children ’s futurity , ” Costatoldthe Washington Post in January . ( AGizmodo reviewof internal document show that in 2019 Amazon dropped its plan to develop winding farm while it track mountain with the fossil fuel industry . )
Amazon has consistentlytalkeda big game about trim back defilement andwashed its handswith pledges and philanthropy . It even run to so far as to instal abig ass signon an stadium to remind us it care . Meanwhileemissionsrose in 2019 , unrecycledcardboardpiled up , and the company stay on tocozy up to Big Oil .
As public - face drawing card of the 8,700 - member group Amazon Employees for Climate Justice , Costa and Cunningham spoke publicly at protest , shareowner coming together , on Twitter , and to the media . In April 2019 , AEJC published anopen letterto Jeff Bezos demanding that the company commit to setting a timeline for its 100 % renewable energy goals , eliminate emissions rather than tilt on carbon credit , break off providing techfor fossil oil and accelerator pedal caller , and recoup contribution to members of Congress who consistently vote against progressive climate policy .
In September 2019,AECJ announcedthat around 1,800 Amazon employee institutionalize to walk out in solidarity with the global climate strike . When Amazon caught hint of the event , it preclude employees from non - sanctioned conversation about the company with the medium . In January 2020 , Amazon threaten to fire Costa and Cunningham . Theyappearedin a Bernie Sanders telecasting and spoke to theWashington Postabout it all the same .
“ It ’s our moral responsibility to address up — irrespective of Amazon ’s endeavor to censor us — specially when clime poses such an unprecedented terror to human beings , ” Costatold the Post .
Amazon finally firedCunninghamandCostain April 2020 , shortly after they invited storage warehouse worker and tech teams to avideo conference . ( Afew weeksearlier , Cunningham and Costa had twirp that they would match donation of up to $ 500 for storage warehouse workers at higher risk of compact covid-19 . ) The company thentold the New York Timesthat it fired them for “ breach internal policy . ”
In a statement share with Earther , an Amazon spokesperson argued that the party did not fire Costa and Cunningham for utter out but again , for unspecified “ internal policies . ”
“ We support every employee ’s rightfulness to criticize their employer ’s working conditions , but that does not come with blanket unsusceptibility against our inner policies , all of which are lawful , ” they said . “ We terminated these employee not for talking publicly about working precondition , refuge , or sustainability , but rather , for repeatedly profane internal policy . ” We enquire Amazon for clarification .
If Amazon does n’t settle , the regional NRLB director will issue a complaint , and the cause moves on to a hearing with an administrative law judge . If Amazon loses , the judge could award backpay or compel Amazon to offer Costa and Cunningham their jobs back . If Amazon wants to drag this on , it could inquire the National Labor Relations Board to rule , then possibly go to the courtyard of appeals , and even the Supreme Court .
Cunningham and Costa have continued to coerce Amazon on climate and organizing after their sacking . Costa spoke at Amazon ’s May 2020shareholder get together , and Cunningham has take an sweat tosupportthe Amazon union drive in Bessemer , Alabama .
After Amazon ’s frontline workers protest across the nation against so-called inadequate covid-19 safeguards , a growing refrain has demanded that Amazon explicate itself for habitually rooting out organizer . A grouping of Democratic senatorscalled on Amazonto explain a spate of discharge of labor organizer , and New York Attorney General Letitia James hasfiled a lawsuitin part regarding alleged retaliation against two contestant . Motherboardreportedon an attempted spot campaign against a protest leader , as well asnumerousattemptsto pigeonhole out a unionization effort . The NLRB hasfoundpreviously fired organizers ’ complaintslegitimate .
Last week , NBC Newsfound thatat least 37 complaint accuse Amazon of stifling organizing attempts have been filed with the NLRB . The Bureau support to Earther that it ’s looking into various cases in Brooklyn , which could lead to a consolidated countrywide probe .
This is adult than a few allegations . If we ’re blend in to head off catastrophe , worker need a seatat the bargaining tablealongside a light few uber - rich dudes who can clean and opt investments in the global future .
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