Leaked Amazon memo proposes smear campaign of worker leading coronavirus protests at Staten Island facility

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[–]Nemacolin[S] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

The Bosses Never Change.

An internal Amazon memo proposed a smear campaign against the employee leading coronavirus protests over conditions at the retail giant’s Staten Island warehouse, according to a report

The company’s general counsel David Zapolsky, in notes taken at a meeting from a daily update with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos about COVID-19, discussed a plan to single out fired worker Christian Smalls as “not smart or articulate” — and to raise questions about his behavior.

“We should spend the first part of our response strongly laying out the case for why the organizer’s conduct was immoral, unacceptable, and arguably illegal, in detail, and only then follow with our usual talking points about worker safety," wrote Zapolsky in comments leaked to the website Vice.com.

Zapolsky issued an immediate mea culpa to Vice, but the African-American ex-employee wanted no part of it.

“They’re digging their own grave,” Smalls told the Daily News. “It’s borderline racist. These people are disgusting. They should be ashamed of themselves. It’s like a vendetta against me ... For what? For doing the right thing?”

The leaked notes also recounted a discussion among Amazon executives about using Smalls to discredit the wider labor movement at the company. Staten Island workers at the JFK8 warehouse began efforts to unionize two years ago.

“Make him the most interesting part of the story, and if possible make him the face of the entire union/organizing movement," wrote Zapolsky.

Smalls, who estimates as many as nine workers from the warehouse have gotten coronavirus, was absent from work on a mandatory quarantine order before his firing hours after Monday’s protest. He is calling for the shutdown of the massive facility for a two-week cleaning.

[–]hennaojichan 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

But please consider giving a contrbution to Jeff F. Bezos, the world's richest A-hole.

[–]Canbot 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

I am all for the workers organizing. But this has to be a unionizing thing, not a demand based on corona exposure. Everyone out there working is exposed. Imagine nurses going on strike right now demanding hazard pay. Then delivery drivers and truck drivers. This shit will get out of hand real quick.

They deserve to get paid better every day, not just for the next few months. If there is any company on the planet that can afford to pay its workers better it is Amazon. But framing it as a corona virus thing rubs me the wrong way.

[–]Nemacolin[S] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

I see. You are all for the workers trying to organize, but only if they are organized.

[–]JasonCarswell 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Unions are just the pillow between the ruling class boot and your face. Some unions are softer than others.

Worker directed enterprises are the solution. (aka worker coops) This is the only 1 of the 3 types of socialism I whole heartedly support. (the other 2 are big gov)

$2 extra is NOT enough. The worst thing is Amazon is NOT telling their workers that some of them have it. It's a cover up.

It's already out of hand.

[–]Canbot 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Worker Coops operate under capitalism. I fully support them. The problem is, as with all socialism, they fall apart. Too many cooks in the kitchen. Everyone wants to run the thing their way. So instead they compromise on some kind of democratic system where everyone votes on every detail. Which ends up with a lot of disjointed mob rule bullshit. The only way it works is when everyone involved has a high IQ and can be reasoned with, and also is honest and selfless. Otherwise you either get really stupid people forcing the company to do stupid things, or you get people trying to leverage their influence to extract as much personal benefit from the company as possible usually to the detriment of the company.

The best you can do is have an LLC with a few good men. They run the company and hire help as necessary. And thus you have every company currently running in the US. So we already have the best system available.