Amazon Fires Staten Island Warehouse Strike Leader Amid Virus Outbreak
Amazon terminates a Staten Island warehouse worker who organized a strike demanding better coronavirus protections. The firing draws sharp criticism and a potential legal investigation from New York officials.
Amazon fires Chris Smalls, a management assistant who organizes a strike at a Staten Island warehouse to demand stronger protections against the coronavirus. Smalls and at least 50 other employees walk out to protest the lack of safety measures and call for the facility to close after a worker tests positive for the virus.
An Amazon spokesperson confirms the termination and claims Smalls receives multiple warnings for violating social distancing guidelines. The company states that Smalls puts other teams at risk by coming to the facility after receiving instructions to quarantine with pay following close contact with an infected associate.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James calls the firing disgraceful and states her office is considering all legal options in response. She also calls on the National Labor Relations Board to investigate the incident as Amazon continues to dispute the strikers' claims and defends its safety protocols.