Amazon has fired two user experience designers, Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa, after they publicly criticised the company's treatment of warehouse workers during the coronavirus pandemic. The employees said they were dismissed for circulating a petition about health risks for warehouse staff.
Costa, who had worked at Amazon for over 15 years, and Cunningham, employed for more than five years, were part of the group Amazon Employees for Climate Justice. They had previously received warnings for speaking out on the company's climate record.
An Amazon spokeswoman confirmed the terminations, stating the employees were fired for 'repeatedly violating internal policies' that prohibit public comments on the company's business without approval. She added that the right to criticise working conditions does not provide 'blanket immunity against any and all internal policies'.
The group also claimed that Amazon censored invitations for a virtual event allowing warehouse workers to share pandemic concerns with corporate employees. Amazon declined to comment on the event.
Cunningham said the group's efforts on climate change and workers' rights were intertwined, stating: 'We are in the middle of both the climate crisis and a global pandemic. This is the time to deeply care about one another.'
The firings follow the dismissal of warehouse worker Chris Smalls in March and Bashir Mohamed in Minnesota this week, both for allegedly violating social distancing guidelines after speaking out about unsafe conditions.
