>>> WE ARE SEEING A WAVE OF
>>> WE ARE SEEING A WAVE OF LABOR ACTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY
LABOR ACTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THE MIDST OF THIS PANDEMIC.
IN THE MIDST OF THIS PANDEMIC. YESTERDAY, WORKERS FOR THE
YESTERDAY, WORKERS FOR THE GROCERY APP INSTA CART HELD A
GROCERY APP INSTA CART HELD A STRIKE.
STRIKE. WE HAVE SEEN SANITATION WORKERS
WE HAVE SEEN SANITATION WORKERS WALK OFF THE JOB DEMANDING
WALK OFF THE JOB DEMANDING HAZARD PAY.
HAZARD PAY. AND AMAZON IS NOW HIRING 100,000
AND AMAZON IS NOW HIRING 100,000 NEW WAREHOUSE AND DELIVERY
NEW WAREHOUSE AND DELIVERY PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. WORKERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE
WORKERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE SAID THE CONDITIONS INSIDE THE
SAID THE CONDITIONS INSIDE THE WAREHOUSES ARE UNSAFE.
WAREHOUSES ARE UNSAFE. YESTERDAY, MORE THAN A DOZEN
YESTERDAY, MORE THAN A DOZEN WORKERS IN AMAZON’S STATEN
WORKERS IN AMAZON’S STATEN ISLAND WAREHOUSE WALKED OUT IN
ISLAND WAREHOUSE WALKED OUT IN PROTEST.
PROTEST. THE ORGANIZER OF THAT WAREHOUSE
THE ORGANIZER OF THAT WAREHOUSE CHRISTIAN SMALLS JOINS ME NOW.
CHRISTIAN SMALLS JOINS ME NOW. HE WAS FIRED AFTER THAT WALKOUT.
HE WAS FIRED AFTER THAT WALKOUT. AMAZON REFUSED TO SPEAK ON THE
AMAZON REFUSED TO SPEAK ON THE RECORD.
RECORD. THEY PROVIDED WITH US A
THEY PROVIDED WITH US A STATEMENT.
STATEMENT. THEY CLAIM THAT THEY DID NOT
THEY CLAIM THAT THEY DID NOT FIRE MR. SMALLS BECAUSE HE
FIRE MR. SMALLS BECAUSE HE ORGANIZED THE WALKOUT, BUT HE
ORGANIZED THE WALKOUT, BUT HE WAS FIRED BECAUSE HE VIOLATED A
WAS FIRED BECAUSE HE VIOLATED A MEDICAL QUARANTINE AND CAME ON
MEDICAL QUARANTINE AND CAME ON SITE YESTERDAY.
SITE YESTERDAY. AND MR. SMALLS JOINS ME NOW.
AND MR. SMALLS JOINS ME NOW. WE CAN GET TO THE FIRING, BUT I
WE CAN GET TO THE FIRING, BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT
WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT CONDITIONS IN THE WAREHOUSE HAVE
CONDITIONS IN THE WAREHOUSE HAVE BEEN LIKE AND WHY YOU FELT THE
BEEN LIKE AND WHY YOU FELT THE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM?
NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM? >> WELL, AS YOU KNOW, THIS
>> WELL, AS YOU KNOW, THIS PANDEMIC SHOCKED THE WORLD,
PANDEMIC SHOCKED THE WORLD, SHOCKED AMERICA.
SHOCKED AMERICA. THE CONDITIONS IN THE WAREHOUSE
THE CONDITIONS IN THE WAREHOUSE HAS BEEN HUGELY DIFFERENT.
HAS BEEN HUGELY DIFFERENT. IT’S BEEN SCARY.
IT’S BEEN SCARY. IT’S BEEN LIKE A GHOSTOWN IN
IT’S BEEN LIKE A GHOSTOWN IN THERE.
THERE. ASSOCIATES ARE SCARED TO COME TO
ASSOCIATES ARE SCARED TO COME TO WORK.
WORK. EVER SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT US,
EVER SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT US, I’VE NEVER SEEN SOMETHING LIKE
I’VE NEVER SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS DIRECTLY.
THIS DIRECTLY. I’VE SEEN ASSOCIATES GET SICK
I’VE SEEN ASSOCIATES GET SICK WEEKLY.
WEEKLY. DIFFERENT TYPE OF SYMPTOMS.
DIFFERENT TYPE OF SYMPTOMS. TALKING ABOUT VOMITING,
TALKING ABOUT VOMITING, DIZZINESS, FATIGUE.
DIZZINESS, FATIGUE. YOU NAME IT, I’VE SEEN IT.
YOU NAME IT, I’VE SEEN IT. AND IT’S BEEN SCARY, VERY SCARY.
AND IT’S BEEN SCARY, VERY SCARY. >> WEPYOU SAY THAT WORKERS YOU A
>> WEPYOU SAY THAT WORKERS YOU A WORKING WITH, YOU’VE SEEN THEM
WORKING WITH, YOU’VE SEEN THEM GET SICK.
GET SICK. ARE YOU ABLE TO MAINTAIN ANY
ARE YOU ABLE TO MAINTAIN ANY KIND OF DISTANCE IN THAT
KIND OF DISTANCE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT?
ENVIRONMENT? HAVE YOU BEEN PROVIDED WITH
HAVE YOU BEEN PROVIDED WITH MASKS TO KIND OF PREVENT
MASKS TO KIND OF PREVENT TRANSMISSION?
TRANSMISSION? >> NO, THAT’S THE THING.
>> NO, THAT’S THE THING. OUR PPE IS VERY LIMITED AT THE
OUR PPE IS VERY LIMITED AT THE TIME.
TIME. WE DON’T HAVE MASKS.
WE DON’T HAVE MASKS. THE GLOVES THAT WE HAVE ARE NOT
THE GLOVES THAT WE HAVE ARE NOT LATEX.
LATEX. THEY’RE USED FOR LIFTING UP
THEY’RE USED FOR LIFTING UP BOXES.
BOXES. AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENT, LIKE
AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENT, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU JUST STATED
YOU SAID, YOU JUST STATED 100,000 EMPLOYEES BEING HIRED.
100,000 EMPLOYEES BEING HIRED. AMAZON’S HIRING PROCESS IS VERY
AMAZON’S HIRING PROCESS IS VERY SCARY, BECAUSE YOU ARE BRINGING
SCARY, BECAUSE YOU ARE BRINGING IN LARGE LOADS OF CROWDS OFF THE
IN LARGE LOADS OF CROWDS OFF THE STREETS AND THESE PEOPLE ARE
STREETS AND THESE PEOPLE ARE UNDIAGNOSED.
UNDIAGNOSED. WE DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY’RE
WE DON’T KNOW WHERE THEY’RE COMING FROM, WE DON’T KNOW THEIR
COMING FROM, WE DON’T KNOW THEIR STATUS.
STATUS. WHEN THEY COME INTO THE
WHEN THEY COME INTO THE BUILDING, THEY COME IN LARGE
BUILDING, THEY COME IN LARGE GROUPS, 30, 40, 50 PEOPLE AT A
GROUPS, 30, 40, 50 PEOPLE AT A TIME.
TIME. THERE’S NO WAY WE CAN TELL WHO
THERE’S NO WAY WE CAN TELL WHO IS DIAGNOSED AND WHO IS NOT AND
IS DIAGNOSED AND WHO IS NOT AND THE COMPANY IS NOT BEING
THE COMPANY IS NOT BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO
TRANSPARENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO HAS THIS VIRUS AND WHO DOESN’T.
HAS THIS VIRUS AND WHO DOESN’T. SO THAT’S THE SCARIEST THING.
SO THAT’S THE SCARIEST THING. >> IN TERMS OF THE DEMANDS FOR
>> IN TERMS OF THE DEMANDS FOR THE WALKOUT, AND I KNOW THERE
THE WALKOUT, AND I KNOW THERE WAS ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE THE
WAS ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE THE COMPANY SAYS LOOK, THERE ARE
COMPANY SAYS LOOK, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF FOLKS WHO ARE
THOUSANDS OF FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING, THIS IS A VERY SMALL
WORKING, THIS IS A VERY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE UNHAPPY.
UNHAPPY. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE HAPPEN?
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE HAPPEN? IF YOU COULD SIT DOWN WITH JEFF
IF YOU COULD SIT DOWN WITH JEFF BEZOS AND TELL HIM THESE ARE THE
BEZOS AND TELL HIM THESE ARE THE TOP THREE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO
TOP THREE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO HAPPEN AT YOUR COMPANY, WHAT
HAPPEN AT YOUR COMPANY, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
WOULD THAT BE? >> WELL, NUMBER ONE, THERE
>> WELL, NUMBER ONE, THERE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE A
DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE A TRANSPARENCY HOW MANY CASES ARE
TRANSPARENCY HOW MANY CASES ARE CONFIRMED IN THIS BUILDING.
CONFIRMED IN THIS BUILDING. WHY IS IT SUCH A SECRET?
WHY IS IT SUCH A SECRET? MANY BEING PART OF MANAGEMENT,
MANY BEING PART OF MANAGEMENT, WE HAD A MEETING AND THEY’RE
WE HAD A MEETING AND THEY’RE TELLING ME THERE’S ONE CONFIRMED
TELLING ME THERE’S ONE CONFIRMED CASE IN THE BUILDING AND DID NOT
CASE IN THE BUILDING AND DID NOT TELL THE ASSOCIATES.
TELL THE ASSOCIATES. THAT RIGHT THERE WAS JUST
THAT RIGHT THERE WAS JUST ALARMING RIGHT THERE.
ALARMING RIGHT THERE. WHY CAN’T THE ASSOCIATES KNOW
WHY CAN’T THE ASSOCIATES KNOW THAT THERE’S CONFIRMED CASES IN
THAT THERE’S CONFIRMED CASES IN THE BUILDING?
THE BUILDING? SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A
SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A TRANSPARENCY BETWEEN THAT.
TRANSPARENCY BETWEEN THAT. THERE DEFINITELY IS A DISCONNECT
THERE DEFINITELY IS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THAT AND JEFF BEZOS
BETWEEN THAT AND JEFF BEZOS NEEDS TO LISTEN TO THE
NEEDS TO LISTEN TO THE ASSOCIATES.
ASSOCIATES. IT’S NOT JUST THIS BUILDING BUT
IT’S NOT JUST THIS BUILDING BUT BUILDINGS ACROSS THE NATION.
BUILDINGS ACROSS THE NATION. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS CASE IS
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS CASE IS POPPING UP ONE BY ONE, BUILDING
POPPING UP ONE BY ONE, BUILDING BY BUILDING.
BY BUILDING. THAT SHOULD BE A RED FLAG, THAT
THAT SHOULD BE A RED FLAG, THAT THERE’S SOMETHING VERY WRONG
THERE’S SOMETHING VERY WRONG WITH THE PROCESS AND THE SAFETY
WITH THE PROCESS AND THE SAFETY PROCEDURES THAT’S GOING ON IN
PROCEDURES THAT’S GOING ON IN THESE BUILDINGS.
THESE BUILDINGS. SO YESTERDAY WAS A CRY, A CRY
SO YESTERDAY WAS A CRY, A CRY FOR HELP AND A STATEMENT, I WAS
FOR HELP AND A STATEMENT, I WAS GIVING THE PEOPLE VOICES THAT
GIVING THE PEOPLE VOICES THAT ARE UNHEARD.
ARE UNHEARD. AND THAT’S WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
AND THAT’S WHAT I WANTED TO DO. I WANT TO CONTINUE SHEDDING
I WANT TO CONTINUE SHEDDING LIGHT TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE
LIGHT TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNPAID RIGHT NOW.
UNPAID RIGHT NOW. PEOPLE THAT HAVE UNDERLYING
PEOPLE THAT HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS, THAT ARE
HEALTH CONDITIONS, THAT ARE SITTING HOME FOR THE ENTIRE
SITTING HOME FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF MARCH.
MONTH OF MARCH. THERE’S PEOPLE THAT HAVE LUPUS,
THERE’S PEOPLE THAT HAVE LUPUS, BRONCHITIS, ASTHMA.
BRONCHITIS, ASTHMA. WE HAVE SENIOR CITIZENS THAT
WE HAVE SENIOR CITIZENS THAT THEY HIRED, 55, 65.
THEY HIRED, 55, 65. THESE PEOPLE CAN’T COME TO WORK.
THESE PEOPLE CAN’T COME TO WORK. THIS VIRUS HAS NO REMORSE.
THIS VIRUS HAS NO REMORSE. SO I’M SPEAKING UP FOR THEM.
SO I’M SPEAKING UP FOR THEM. YESTERDAY, MY DEMONSTRATION WAS
YESTERDAY, MY DEMONSTRATION WAS A STATEMENT.
A STATEMENT. >> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR
>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR TERMINATION.
TERMINATION. THEY FIRED YOU AFTER THE
THEY FIRED YOU AFTER THE WALKOUT.
WALKOUT. THEY SAY THAT YOU WERE VIOLATING
THEY SAY THAT YOU WERE VIOLATING COMPANY POLICY.
COMPANY POLICY. YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN STAYING OUT
YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN STAYING OUT OF THERE BECAUSE YOU HAD BEEN
OF THERE BECAUSE YOU HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO A SICK WORKER AND
EXPOSED TO A SICK WORKER AND WERE IMPERILLING THE HEALTH TO
WERE IMPERILLING THE HEALTH TO OTHERS.
OTHERS. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT? >> I SAY THAT’S TOTALLY FALSE,
>> I SAY THAT’S TOTALLY FALSE, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER ONE. THE ASSOCIATE I SENT HOME ON
THE ASSOCIATE I SENT HOME ON TUESDAY, SHE WAS WORKING THE
TUESDAY, SHE WAS WORKING THE ENTIRE SHIFT SUNDAY, MONDAY AND
ENTIRE SHIFT SUNDAY, MONDAY AND TUESDAY UP UNTIL THE POINT I
TUESDAY UP UNTIL THE POINT I SENT HER HOME.
SENT HER HOME. HER RESULTS CAME BACK WEDNESDAY.
HER RESULTS CAME BACK WEDNESDAY. SO I HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE WAS
SO I HAD NO IDEA THAT SHE WAS GOING TO TEST POSITIVE.
GOING TO TEST POSITIVE. I WAS ONLY AROUND HER FOR LESS
I WAS ONLY AROUND HER FOR LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES.
THAN FIVE MINUTES. WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION
WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION EARLY IN THE MORNING AROUND
EARLY IN THE MORNING AROUND 9:30.
9:30. SHE LOOKED ILL.
SHE LOOKED ILL. SHE HAD A MASK ON, SHE HAD
SHE HAD A MASK ON, SHE HAD GLOVES ON.
GLOVES ON. I STOOD FROM A DISTANCE.
I STOOD FROM A DISTANCE. WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION.
WE HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION. I SUGGESTED SHE GO HOME, BECAUSE
I SUGGESTED SHE GO HOME, BECAUSE SHE INFORMED ME SHE WENT FOR
SHE INFORMED ME SHE WENT FOR TESTING THE NIGHT BEFORE.
TESTING THE NIGHT BEFORE. SO THE POLICIES WITH AMAZON IS
SO THE POLICIES WITH AMAZON IS VERY FLAWED.
VERY FLAWED. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IF YOU ARE
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IF YOU ARE GONE FOR TESTING, YOU SHOULDN’T
GONE FOR TESTING, YOU SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED BACK INTO THE
BE ALLOWED BACK INTO THE BUILDING.
BUILDING. AND THE PROBLEM, THE DISCREPANCY
AND THE PROBLEM, THE DISCREPANCY IS, YOU’RE ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO
IS, YOU’RE ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO COME TO WORK, SICK OR
COME TO WORK, SICK OR UNDIAGNOSED, UNTIL THEY RECEIVE
UNDIAGNOSED, UNTIL THEY RECEIVE A CONFIRMATION LETTER FROM RECEI
A CONFIRMATION LETTER FROM RECEI A CONFIRMATION LETTER FROM THE
A CONFIRMATION LETTER FROM THE DOCTOR WHICH IS CRAZY TO ME.
DOCTOR WHICH IS CRAZY TO ME. SHE WENT FOR TESTING ON MONDAY.
SHE WENT FOR TESTING ON MONDAY. HER CONFIRMATION LETTER DIDN’T
HER CONFIRMATION LETTER DIDN’T COME IN UNTIL THURSDAY.
COME IN UNTIL THURSDAY. AS YOU KNOW, WE’RE IN NEW YORK.
AS YOU KNOW, WE’RE IN NEW YORK. AND THE DOCTORS ARE OVERWHELMED
AND THE DOCTORS ARE OVERWHELMED RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. THEY DON’T HAVE TIME TO SIT DOWN
THEY DON’T HAVE TIME TO SIT DOWN AND EMAIL THE CDC AND THE CDC TO
AND EMAIL THE CDC AND THE CDC TO CONTACT THE JOB.
CONTACT THE JOB. SO, IT TOOK A NUMBER OF DAYS FOR
SO, IT TOOK A NUMBER OF DAYS FOR THAT TO GET THROUGH.
THAT TO GET THROUGH. AND SHE HAD THE WINDOW OF
AND SHE HAD THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO WORK.
OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO WORK. THANK GOD I SENT HER HOME ON
THANK GOD I SENT HER HOME ON TUESDAY AND SHE DIDN’T RETURN.
TUESDAY AND SHE DIDN’T RETURN. BUT IF I WASN’T -- IF I DIDN’T
BUT IF I WASN’T -- IF I DIDN’T SEND HER HOME, SHE WOULD HAVE
SEND HER HOME, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK ANOTHER
BEEN ABLE TO WORK ANOTHER TEN-HOUR SHIFT AND POSSIBLY PUT
TEN-HOUR SHIFT AND POSSIBLY PUT MORE PEOPLE AT RISK.
MORE PEOPLE AT RISK. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. SO, THE POINT THERE BEING THAT
SO, THE POINT THERE BEING THAT THIS IS NOT THEY’VE BEEN REAL
THIS IS NOT THEY’VE BEEN REAL FESS TIDS YOU ABOUT QUARANTINE
FESS TIDS YOU ABOUT QUARANTINE POLICY.
POLICY. >> NO, THE POLICY IS VERY FLAWED
>> NO, THE POLICY IS VERY FLAWED AND THEY NEED TO TAKE A VERY
AND THEY NEED TO TAKE A VERY GOOD LOOK AT IT.
GOOD LOOK AT IT. ONCE AGAIN, I WAS ONLY AROUND
ONCE AGAIN, I WAS ONLY AROUND HER FOR FIVE MINUTES.
HER FOR FIVE MINUTES. SHE WAS AROUND EVERY EMPLOYEE IN
SHE WAS AROUND EVERY EMPLOYEE IN MY DEPARTMENT FOR TEN-PLUS
MY DEPARTMENT FOR TEN-PLUS HOURS.
HOURS. SO, WHO IS THE MEDICAL EXPERTISE
SO, WHO IS THE MEDICAL EXPERTISE FOR AMAZON THAT’S MAKING THESE
FOR AMAZON THAT’S MAKING THESE DECISIONS THAT I NEED TO BE
DECISIONS THAT I NEED TO BE QUARANTINED AND NOT MY
QUARANTINED AND NOT MY EMPLOYEES, NOT THE EMPLOYEES IN
EMPLOYEES, NOT THE EMPLOYEES IN THAT DEPARTMENT?
THAT DEPARTMENT? HOYE
HOYE HOW DO THEY MAKE THAT DECISION?
HOW DO THEY MAKE THAT DECISION? AND WHAT DO THEY CONSIDER COMING
AND WHAT DO THEY CONSIDER COMING INTO CLOSE CONTACT?
INTO CLOSE CONTACT? IS IT WALKING INTO SOMEBODY?
IS IT WALKING INTO SOMEBODY? IS IT TOUCHING SOMEBODY?
IS IT TOUCHING SOMEBODY? IS IT TALKING, HAVING A
IS IT TALKING, HAVING A CONVERSATION?
CONVERSATION? SO, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT --
SO, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT -- THE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE
THE QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED.
ANSWERED. >> CHRISTIAN SMALLS, THANK YOU
>> CHRISTIAN SMALLS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME TONIGHT.
SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES AT AMAZON IN
