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Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

reuters.com

11–20 of 399 posts

Re: Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

#11

No details on what those employees actually did? Lacking that, this is just clickbait.

WP reported Amazon stated they violated company policies. That is probably true too ( talking to media or some such ). https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/04/13/amazon-...

[flagged]

Re: Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

#12

> “We support every employee’s right to criticize their employer’s working conditions, but that does not come with blanket immunity against any and all internal policies,” Herdener said. > Amazon’s external communications policy prohibits employees from commenting publicly on its business without corporate justification and approval from executives. Herdener previously said the policy did not allow employees to “publ…

Amazon is firing them for commenting publicly on its business.

If you were employed by a company and disparaged them publicly, breaking company policy, would you believe that your employment with them is in any way protected?

Re: Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

#13

> “We support every employee’s right to criticize their employer’s working conditions, but that does not come with blanket immunity against any and all internal policies,” Herdener said. > Amazon’s external communications policy prohibits employees from commenting publicly on its business without corporate justification and approval from executives. Herdener previously said the policy did not allow employees to “publ…

Uhh, I don't want to be Amazon defender, but in US most of the employment is at will. In practical terms, they can fire you for any or no reason at all. There are practicalities that come into play that have to do with unemployment insurance and whatnot, but company policy violation is a defensible 'cause' for firing.

I am not a lawyer nor am I condoning this, but them is the facts.

edit: added play

Re: Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

#14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

WP reported Amazon stated they violated company policies. That is probably true too ( talking to media or some such ). https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/04/13/amazon-...

[flagged]

Don't you feel a little...silly...making accusations about something that you haven't even looked at?

WaPo did not "stress that they violated company policies". There are two short sentences in the middle of the article about Amazon's reason for firing, followed by a disclaimer that Bezos owns WaPo.

Much more of the article is devoted to the fired employees belief that she was fired for her climate change activism, and not for violating Amazon policies. Including a heart breaking "I'm doing it all for you, kiddo" scene.

Re: Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

#15

> “We support every employee’s right to criticize their employer’s working conditions, but that does not come with blanket immunity against any and all internal policies,” Herdener said. > Amazon’s external communications policy prohibits employees from commenting publicly on its business without corporate justification and approval from executives. Herdener previously said the policy did not allow employees to “publ…

The employees certainly knew this could happen, or at least should have been aware what they were getting into. I hope that's the case.

Every large company very clearly states, one way or another, that speaking about the company to the public without being a designated spokesperson is seriously grounds for termination.

Re: Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

#16
post #10

> “We support every employee’s right to criticize their employer’s working conditions, but that does not come with blanket immunity against any and all internal policies,” Herdener said. > Amazon’s external communications policy prohibits employees from commenting publicly on its business without corporate justification and approval from executives. Herdener previously said the policy did not allow employees to “publ…

Amazon is very clear when you're hired that you're not allowed to represent the company or it's positions on social media or anywhere publicly without getting permission. You can agree or disagree with that policy, but it's not new. Source: first heard of this policy when I was hired at Amazon in 2007.

Also: whether you like it or not, this is pretty standard policy almost everywhere.

Re: Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

#17

> “We support every employee’s right to criticize their employer’s working conditions, but that does not come with blanket immunity against any and all internal policies,” Herdener said. > Amazon’s external communications policy prohibits employees from commenting publicly on its business without corporate justification and approval from executives. Herdener previously said the policy did not allow employees to “publ…

If they were walked out for gross misconduct then there’s a story for sure.

But if Amazon negotiated a deal with them by which both employer and employee bilaterally agreed to end the contract between them, then fair enough! Rest assured it was probably quite expensive for Amazon, or at least for that micro-pod’s balance sheet.

No one is entitled to be a hostile employee, just as no employee has to tolerate a hostile workplace. I think they’ll be happier working somewhere else (and I hope they continue the activism.)

Re: Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

#18
post #12

> “We support every employee’s right to criticize their employer’s working conditions, but that does not come with blanket immunity against any and all internal policies,” Herdener said. > Amazon’s external communications policy prohibits employees from commenting publicly on its business without corporate justification and approval from executives. Herdener previously said the policy did not allow employees to “publ…

Amazon is firing them for commenting publicly on its business. If you were employed by a company and disparaged them publicly, breaking company policy, would you believe that your employment with them is in any way protected?

I agree with you. Amazon, should though, be aware of the Streisand effect. They are amplifying their problem by firing people instead of, say...reprimanding them.

Re: Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

#19

> “We support every employee’s right to criticize their employer’s working conditions, but that does not come with blanket immunity against any and all internal policies,” Herdener said. > Amazon’s external communications policy prohibits employees from commenting publicly on its business without corporate justification and approval from executives. Herdener previously said the policy did not allow employees to “publ…

That quote is straight up incorrect. Amazon doesn't restrict, and actually encourages employees to talk about their work conditions, as long as said employee makes sure to say "these opinions are my own and do not represent Amazon's official stance" and that anything you are saying is actually true. You certainly do not need "corporate justification and approval from executives". I am curious where Reuters pulled that from.

Both this and the WaPo article are extremely light on the details what exactly these employees said or did. WaPo says that these employees "violated company policy", which leads me to believe they must have been saying something that Amazon felt was untrue, because again, official policy is that you can speak as much as you want about working conditions at Amazon as long as they are factual. I would like to see what exactly these people said that apparently upset Amazon, but I can't find it anywhere.

Re: Amazon fires two UX designers critical of warehouse working conditions

#20
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Don't you feel a little...silly...making accusations about something that you haven't even looked at? WaPo did not "stress that they violated company policies". There are two short sentences in the middle of the article about Amazon's reason for firing, followed by a disclaimer that Bezos owns WaPo. Much more of the article is devoted to the fired employees belief that she was fired for her climate change activism, a…

I think it's a little silly to take an article that's critical of Amazon seriously when the paper is owned by Jeff Bezos. There are plenty of other sources on the topic including the Reuters article above, which is not behind a paywall.
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