In an unusual development, a faction of Amazon’s corporate workforce is arranging a walkout next week, raising concerns over the company’s return-to-work policies and its climate change stance. The e-commerce titan has witnessed a surge in internal disagreements following multiple major layoffs.
The upcoming labor strike is being jointly orchestrated by an in-house climate justice worker faction and an advocacy group championing remote work, as divulged in an organizer’s email and numerous public social media posts. The dissenting workers urge Amazon to give more weight to climate implications in its decision-making processes and offer increased adaptability regarding employees’ work schedules and locations.
Insight into the Planned Protest
The protest is slated for noon on May 31. The organizers have communicated that the protest will only proceed if they garner pledges of participation from a minimum of 1,000 workers, as outlined in an internal email by the organizers, a development first brought to light by The Washington Post.
This wave of collective dissent by corporate employees transpires as Amazon, along with other leading tech firms, announce hefty layoffs amidst widespread economic turbulence. In 2023, Amazon has declared its intent to terminate around 27,000 employees in multiple stages.
Coinciding with this, Amazon and other tech organizations are advocating for a return to the office. Amazon has decreed that thousands of its employees must be in the office at least three days a week, effective from May 1.
An Amazon corporate employee located in Los Angeles, who requested anonymity, stated, “Morale is truly at its nadir currently.” The employee, who intends to participate in the walkout, added, “We hope this walkout strongly communicates to leadership our expectation of tangible action from them on several issues…we require more strategic long-term decision-making that benefits not just employees but the communities we cater to.”
Demand for Climate Justice
A principal group spearheading the impending walkout is Amazon Employees for Climate Justice (AECJ), previously known for staging protests against the company’s non-action on climate change in 2019.
“In order to foster a diverse, world-class workplace, we need authentic strategies to tackle our climate impact and flexible work options,” the group emphasized in a series of tweets. They also voiced their dissatisfaction with Amazon’s Climate Pledge from 2019, which promises net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. AECJ dismissed the pledge as “hype” and demanded “a true climate plan.”
Defending its climate initiatives, Amazon pointed to its thousands of electric delivery vehicles, ongoing investment in science-backed carbon reduction solutions, and a target to fuel all operations with renewable energy by 2030, a goal they hope to achieve by 2025.
In response to the proposed walkout, Rob Munoz, a spokesperson for Amazon, stated that the company respects its employees’ right to voice their opinions. He also defended Amazon’s return-to-work policy, mentioning positive responses from many employees and local businesses around the company’s offices.
The walkout plan highlights a growing unease among tech employees about their companies’ positions on climate change and remote work flexibility, issues that have gained prominence in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global climate emergency. The magnitude and result of the walkout could potentially be a bellwether for future actions within Amazon and other tech firms.
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