Amazon employees protest against returning to the office

Amazon employees protest against return-to-office policy. (Photo: Seattle Times)

“Workers need a voice in the decisions that affect our lives,” reads a petition from an Amazon employee advocacy group. Amazon said an estimated 300 employees took part, but organizers said there were 2,000 protesters.

This action by Amazon employees comes after a series of recent layoffs. In early January, Amazon announced plans to lay off more than 18,000 employees. In total, the e-commerce giant has laid off 27,000 people since last fall.

This month, the company mandated that office workers return to work at least three days a week. The petition cites Amazon’s return-to-office policy and climate impact as evidence that management “is taking us in the wrong direction.”

As of the afternoon of May 31, 1,922 Amazon employees had signed the petition. The company currently employs more than 1.5 million people globally, according to its annual report released last week.

In a statement to ABC News , spokesman Brad Glasser defended Amazon's decision to have employees return to the office, saying it has led to more energy, coordination, and connection. He acknowledged that it takes time to adjust to working remotely, but said the teams are working to make the transition as smooth as possible.

As for climate impact concerns, Glasser said he would continue to push to reach carbon zero by 2040.

Sales at the world’s top tech companies have slumped compared to the Covid-19 period, when billions of people around the world studied and worked from home, relying on delivery services and virtual connections. However, many stocks have surged in the past few months on optimism about the potential of AI. Amazon shares have risen nearly 30% since March 1.

The recent protest called for changes in policies and improved conditions for employees across the company. Their goal was to change Amazon’s cost-benefit analysis when making decisions that disproportionately affect employees of color, women, LGBTQ, disabled, and other marginalized groups.

(According to ABC News)

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