Breaking: 50+ workers WALKED OUT at the Shakopee Amazon warehouse overnight after management revealed two more cases of COVID-19 and unjustly fired another worker leader.
Faiza Osman has been a dedicated worker at Amazon for nearly three years, and was terminated for staying home with her two children during the pandemic. Amazon leadership had informed workers to stay home if they felt that they needed the time off, yet they fired Osman evidently for doing what she was allowed to do. This followed the firing of multiple Amazon leaders at the Shakopee warehouse. Workers believe that Amazon is using its six-foot social distancing policy to retaliate against workers.
More than 50 amazon workers at MSP1 in Shakopee, MN walked off the job just after 12am this morning to protest the elimination of unpaid time off, unsafe conditions, & the appearance of retaliation against workers who speak out.
Here’s Hafsa Hasan, one of the leaders: pic.twitter.com/dO9ckCrxsJ
— Sam Adler-Bell (@SamAdlerBell) April 26, 2020
Amazon recently announced it would take away unlimited unpaid time off effective May 1st. This is worrisome and dangerous to workers. Workers this morning said that this will make it easier for Amazon to fire workers for staying home. Amazon workers are also observing Ramadan this month, and this new attendance policy will affect these workers the most. Amazon must extend the policy that protects workers from potentially punitive measures for practicing their religion and allows them to take time off during this pandemic and month of fasting.
Workers have made the following demands:
✔️Amazon must reinstate Faiza Osman
✔️Amazon must extend its Unpaid Time (UPT) hours for
workers during the pandemic, as the cases of COVID-19 are increasing at this warehouse
✔️Amazon must not retaliate against workers for speaking out.
✔️Amazon must not use social distancing policies to target workers who speak out
✔️Amazon must shut down the facility for cleaning and provide workers with full pay