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Several Amazon workers protested an alleged lack of security measures to prevent covid-19 at the company.
A senior Amazon official has resigned his “dismayed” position for what he considers to be retaliation by the internet giant against workers who criticized its security measures against the coronavirus.
Tim Bray described the firing of protesters in late March as “evidence of a streak of toxicity running through the company’s culture.”
- Complaints about the working conditions of Amazon workers in the midst of the coronavirus crisis
The fired workers had criticized Amazon for not doing enough to protect its warehouse staff against the virus.
Amazon declined to comment on this particular issue, although it has previously defended its actions.
Bray, a senior engineer at Amazon Web Services and with the rank of vice president, announced his resignation on his Twitter account on Monday, and explained in his personal blog, OngoingWhy did you leave the company where you worked for five years?
Dismissals of protesters
Amazon faces a possible investigation for violation of workers’ rights in New York, where the company fired the organizer of a small protest against security conditions in a warehouse.
The giant of commerce on-line He said that the worker, Christian Smalls, had received a warning about the rules of social distancing and that he should stay home after contacting an infected colleague, but that he still went to protest.
“The vice president of Amazon @timbray resigns for the dismissals related to the #covid, mine, by Maren Costa and others. He says that the dismissals of ‘whistleblowers’ from Amazon are “evidence of a streak of toxicity running through the company’s culture. I don’t choose to serve or drink that poison“Emily Cunningham, one of the laid-off workers, tweeted Monday.
Bray said Amazon also fired staff who organized another protest and spoke out against the company over weather issues.
“At the time, I collapsed,” he wrote, adding that he first raised his concerns internally.
“Having done this, remain a [vicepresidente] Amazon would have meant, in effect, subscribing for the stocks it despised. So I quit, “he said.
- How the coronavirus crisis benefits Jeff Bezos and causes millionaire losses to the 500 richest in the world
Bray said working at the firm had been “rewarding fun” and that his decision will cost him financially.
“With high-tech salaries and stock grants, this will probably cost me over a million (before tax) dollars, not to mention the best job I’ve ever had, and working with terribly good people. So I’m pretty sad, “he wrote.
“Firing whistleblowers is not just a side effect of macroeconomic forces, nor is it intrinsic to the role of the free market.
“It is evidence of a streak of toxicity running through the company’s culture. I choose not to serve or drink that poison,” he said.
“Hide the problem under the rug”
Analysis of Zoe Thomas, Business reporter in New York
Amazon already had an image problem before the covid-19 pandemic.
The company has taken aggressive measures to stop unionization in its warehouses.
Its vast collection of users’ personal data raised concerns about respect for privacy.
Its tax evasion tactics prompted politicians around the world to ask why such a successful company run by one of the world’s richest men does not pay the public coffers more.
But these concerns also affected other large technology companies (Google, Facebook, Apple).
The coronavirus pandemic has given these companies a way to redeem your image.
The tech giants are helping to develop programs to track the virus, making it possible for other companies to work remotely and keeping people connected to friends and family.
Amazon should be at the head of this group to improve its image.
By keeping its delivery business active, Amazon has allowed millions of people to stay in their homes. Instead, the story in the media has been the treatment of its workers.
Arguably, the company has tried to hide the issue under the rug, blaming other factors on the layoff of workers who questioned warehouse conditions.
Bray’s resignation may be a sign that hiding the problem will not be enough to appease senior staff within Amazon’s ranks and, in the future, even shareholders.
Amazon has seen an increase in demand for its services during the covid-19 pandemic.
Shareholders were told that Amazon would not make a profit in the second quarter, because the company would spend more on security and cleaning.
But if workers continue to raise concerns, investors may wonder if the company is doing the right thing.
This should be Amazon’s time to show buyers, investors and government officials how useful it can be, and than that gigantic size is something useful in a crisis like this.
Instead, the conversation is drifting away from that point, and if Amazon doesn’t fix these issues with the workforce, you may never have a chance to clean up your image.
Amazon declined to comment on Bray’s statements.
When previously asked about the firing of staff, the company said it supports the right of its staff to demonstrate, but added that “does not come with general immunity.”
- Who is making money with the coronavirus?
The company is facing new scrutiny of its business practices as the pandemic pushes it to work at full speed to fulfill all online requests from quarantined people.
Amazon temporarily closed its six warehouses in France after a court ordered it to stop all deliveries except essential ones.
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Amazon said it expected to spend $ 4 billion, its expected quarterly profit, on anti-coronavirus measures through June.
Last week, the firm warned investors that the pandemic forced costly changes to the business, including spending on protective equipment and adjustments to operations that make its warehouses less efficient.
He said he hoped to spend $ 4 billion, his expected quarterly profit, on anti-coronavirus measures through June.
However, sales are booming and are expected to increase up to 28% in the current quarter.
To Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, one of the richest people in the world, with a fortune of US $ 138,000 millionYou have also been asked to testify before the US Congress. as part of a broader monopoly investigation.
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