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An activist worker at Amazon who was fired by the web retail big earlier this yr can have her case heard by a court docket subsequent yr, BuzzFeed News reported Friday. Citing paperwork it obtained by way of a Freedom of Information Act request, the publication stated Courtney Bowden is alleging Amazon threatened and suspended her earlier than terminating her employment as a result of she was talking to different Amazon employees about bettering office circumstances and pay through the COVID-19 pandemic.
The criticism was issued Nov. 13 in Bowden’s case by the National Labor Relations Board, based on BuzzFeed News, and alleges that Amazon “has been interfering with, restraining and coercing employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed” by the National Labor Relations Act.
“Amazon has a policy of not commenting on active litigation,” a spokesperson informed CNET in an emailed assertion. “However, we have zero tolerance for retaliation for employees who raise concerns.”
The listening to is reportedly scheduled for March 9. 2021.
Several activist staff who spoke out about alleged unsafe warehouse circumstances throughout the coronavirus pandemic had been fired by Amazon earlier this yr. In response, 9 US senators despatched a letter to CEO Jeff Bezos in May, asking for particulars on its termination insurance policies. The letter was signed by now-Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, in addition to Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Edward Markey, Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Sherrod Brown, Kirsten Gillibrand and Tammy Baldwin.
“Given the clear public history of these four workers’ advocacy on behalf of health and safety conditions for workers in Amazon warehouses preceding their terminations,” the letter stated, in addition to “Amazon’s vague public statements regarding violations of ‘internal policies,’ we are seeking additional information to understand exactly what those internal policies are.”
Amazon defended the firings on the time, arguing that they had been unrelated and remoted terminations.
“These individuals were not terminated for talking publicly about working conditions or safety, but rather, for violating — often repeatedly — policies, such as intimidation, physical distancing and more,” an Amazon spokesperson stated in an announcement in May. “We support every employee’s right to criticize or protest their employer’s working conditions.”
However, Tim Bray, an Amazon vice chairman, resigned from the corporate in protest on the identical time.
The National Labor Relations Board instantly responded to requests for remark. Bowden could not instantly be reached for remark.
(This story has not been edited by Newslivenation workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)