Amazon is facing legal consequences for its history of expelling protest participants. Reports that Judge Benjamin Green has ordered Amazon to reinstate warehouse employee Gerald Bryson, who was fired from his position at the JFK8 facility on Staten Island (recently voted for merger) after allegedly violating language policies during COVID security. -19. protest on April 6, 2020. Green sided with the National Labor Board's claim that Amazon had retaliated against Bryson in protest, and reportedly used a "perverted" investigation to find reasons to dismiss the job.
Bryson (pictured above) was protesting outside JFK8 and asked Amazon to close the repository for security reasons. He got into an argument with a female coworker who said she appreciated the work. Only Bryson was fired despite two trade scandals - the woman received a written warning. People interviewed by Amazon have provided versions of "one-sided, exaggerated" events, according to Green, which includes allegations of racial slurs that were not supported by video evidence. Amazon did not interview the person who recorded the video.
The judge also found that Amazon had previously issued simple penalties for serious offenses (such as violent use). The company also did not provide all the documents requested for the summons.
In a statement released by The Times, Amazon said it "strongly disagrees" with Green's decision and said the NLRB wants the company to "tolerate" Bryson's conduct. The technology giant plans to challenge the decision on the NLRB.
Amazon has repeatedly been accused of retaliating against employees who challenge its policies. Security protest leader Chris Smalls accused the company of firing him by highlighting the poor protection against COVID-19. Maren Costa and Emily Cunningham, on the other hand, were reportedly fired for being too critical of the Amazon climate and labor practices. Amazon said the workers were fired for violating the policy, but opponents disputed that.
Bryson's victory comes as Amazon faces a growing staffing crisis. In addition to the successful union vote in JFK8, the company faces re-election mergers at the Alabama warehouse and the upcoming second round of Staten Island. Employees are increasingly seeking better medical treatment, and the company's efforts to eliminate the opposition are not always successful.
