Amazon on Friday sued New York Attorney General Letitia James to ward off potential legal action over COVID-19 security protocols and the dismissal of an employee who went on strike last year.
The retail giant came under fire at the start of the New York pandemic when workers, including Chris Smalls, protested the conditions at the Staten Island warehouse, conducting an investigation by James’ office.
Smalls, a management assistant, said he was terminated after arranging the strike in March, when COVID-19 began spreading among the warehouse staff.
In its federal lawsuit in Brooklyn, Amazon accused it of exceeding its limits by launching an investigation that found the company violated security requirements and threatened legal action.
James had earlier called Smalls’ shooting “disgraceful” and said her office was considering all legal options, while asking the National Labor Council to investigate.
In the case, Amazon claimed that the coronavirus security practices required by the then state far exceeded that – and that an unannounced inspection on March 30, the day of the strike, proved so much.
“The sheriff’s lieutenant who led the inspection concluded that complaints about JFK8 were ‘completely unfounded’ and that ‘there were absolutely no issues’,” the case said, referring to the Staten Island Fulfillment Center.
In November, Smalls filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of black and Hispanic workers that he claimed had endangered Amazon.
According to the court, Smalls resigned because he repeatedly violated the requirements for social waiver and a paid quarantine leave.
In a statement, James doubled her allegations, saying, “During this pandemic, Amazon employees were forced to work in unsafe conditions while the company and its CEO earned billions from their backs.”
“This action by Amazon is nothing more than a sad attempt to divert attention from the facts and to avoid liability for its failure to protect hardworking employees from a deadly virus,” she continued. Let me be clear: no one will intimidate us, especially not corporate bullies who place profits above the health and safety of working people. We remain untouched in our efforts to protect workers from exploitation and will continue to review all our legal options. ”
More than 19,000 – or 1.44 percent of Amazon’s top U.S. workers – have contracted COVID-19 since September, the company said.
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