Amazon.com Inc illegally fired two workers who advocated for greater working circumstances through the pandemic, the U.S. National Labor Relations Board has discovered.
The on the net retailer final year terminated the employment of Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa, who accused the corporation of enforcing policies in a discriminatory style and getting vague guidelines that “chill and restrain” employees from working out rights, according to their charge filed in October, noticed by Reuters.
The board stated on Monday that its regional director in Seattle will concern a complaint if the parties do not settle the case.
The selection comes at a delicate moment for Amazon as it awaits the outcome of its Bessemer, Alabama, workers’ vote on irrespective of whether to make their warehouse the company’s initial unionized facility in the nation.
Cunningham and Costa, who gained prominence for pushing the corporation to do more on climate adjust, about a year ago questioned Amazon’s pandemic security protocols and worked to raise revenue for warehouse employees at danger of contracting COVID-19.
In a statement, Amazon stated it supports workers’ rights to criticize work circumstances, but that performing so does not absolve employees of breaking lawful guidelines. “We terminated these employees not for talking publicly about working conditions, safety, or sustainability, but rather, for repeatedly violating internal policies,” it stated.
Amazon on Monday did not specify what these polices have been.
Cunningham and Costa did not straight away comment. Marc Perrone, international president of the UFCW union whose nearby unit helped file the charge, stated in a statement: “Today is a reminder that Amazon will break the law to silence its own workers who speak out.”
The New York Times earlier reported the news.
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