Amazon workers protest
Office staff rally cites elimination of remote labor, lack of climate change advancements
Telling executives to “strive harder,” hundreds of corporate Amazon workers protested what they decried as the company's lack of progress on climate goals and an inequitable return-tooffice mandate during a lunchtime demonstration at its Seattle headquarters Wednesday.
The protest came a week after Amazon's annual shareholder meeting and a month after a policy took effect returning workers to the office three days per week. Previously, team leaders were allowed to determine how their charges worked.
The employees chanted their disappointment with the pace of the company's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint — “Emissions climbing, time to act” — and urged Amazon to return authority to team leaders when it comes to work location.
Wearing a black pirate hat and red coat, Church Hindley, a quality assurance engineer, said working from home allowed him to live a better, healthier life.
“I'm out here because I refuse to just sit idly by while mandates are dictated from above down that don't make sense and hurt the planet, hurt families and individual lives,” Hindley said. “And just to get us into a seat at the office for their tax incentives.”
In a statement, Amazon said it supported workers expressing opinions.
As of Wednesday morning, organizers estimated more than 1,900 employees pledged to walk out around the world, with about 900 in Seattle. Many participated remotely, but hundreds gathered at the Amazon Spheres — a four-story structure in downtown Seattle that from the outside looks like three connected glass orbs.
“Today looks like it might be the start of a new chapter in Amazon's history when tech workers coming out of the pandemic stood up and said, `We still want a say in this company and the direction of this company,' ” said Eliza Pan, a former Amazon corporate employee and a co-founder of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, a climate change advocacy group founded by Amazon workers.
Amazon, which relies on fossil fuels to power the planes, trucks and vans that ship packages all over the world, has an enormous carbon footprint. Amazon workers have been vocal in criticizing some of the company's practices.
In an annual statement to investors, Amazon said it aims to deploy 100,000 electric delivery vehicles by 2030 and reach netzero carbon by 2040. But activists say the company must do more and commit to zero emissions by 2030.
In a February memo, CEO Andy Jassy said the company made its decision to return corporate employees to the office at least three days a week after the pandemic.