Amazon employees have signed a petition calling for the denial of the recent SCOTUS decision. Roe v Wade, writing that the company must take “immediate and decisive action against the threat to our basic human rights.” Not surprisingly, one of those decisive decisions would be to give them time off “to grieve” the ruling. Seriously.
Popular Twitter account Libs of Tik TokThis is the address of the petition:
SCOOP: Amazon workers signed an open letter to leadership demanding that they stop doing business with states where abortion is legal and asking for time to grieve the Supreme Court decision pic.twitter.com/qWSts5KAcJ
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 27, 2022
This Sunday we discussed how companies are waking up in the wake of The Great Recession. Roe ruling quickly offered to pay employees’ travel costs should they need to go to another state to get an abortion. The list includes Facebook parent Meta, American Express, Bank of America, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Goldman Sachs, Apple, Starbucks, Lyft—and of course, Amazon. The truth is that we don’t need someone telling our thoughts when we shop for pet toys online.
The petition has been signed by more than 300 employees, according to insider. By my calculations, that’s an entire .027 percent of their 1.1 million-strong USA workforce! They wrote:
We are the undersigned and we come today to demand that you take immediate, decisive actions against the threat to our fundamental rights. Roe v Wade. As part of Amazon‘s wide-reaching efforts toward a more inclusive and diverse workforce, we believe that Amazon cannot let this recent decision go unanswered. We ask Amazon, the world’s best employer, to actively defend this assault on our liberty.
Since when did it become a company’s job to fight against the Supreme Court? It’s even worse when it doesn’t directly affect their business. Madness.
The employees acknowledge that some of their ideas will “bear a larger business risk than others,” but they nevertheless want Amazon to “Think big to change the world.” One thing: these employees are not is shy, as they ask for a truly expansive wish-list:
1) Use Amazon‘s voice to publicly and unequivocally denounce this decision.
2.) Give employees of both genders space to grieve, vent their anger and express solidarity against the violation of our rights.
You’re so right! Let’s just stop right there. Corporations want you to be productive, not home crying. Do conservatives ever get days off when they don’t like a political decision? Can I ask for a week’s vacation because I don’t like Joey’s inflation policy? I’d be laughed out the door. We now have to ask: Why is it that only liberals make such wild demands? Because they often get what their want. Amazon will probably set up a policy group or something and give these people most of what they’re asking for. And they’re asking for even more:
6) Audit product offerings and take out those that deceive or promote hate speech towards or violence against abortion seekers.
Ah, censorship. You were aware it would come eventually. We don’t like your opinion; we demand the second-biggest company in the world silence you.
The employees have several other major “requests” too, including that Amazon cease donations to any political committees that oppose abortion, expand remote work options so employees can move to abortion-friendly states, and more. Number nine is my favorite request.
9) Stop operations in all states where laws are passed that pose a threat to the liberty and lives of pregnant women. These laws may prohibit access to healthcare for those in serious or life-threatening situations, as well as criminalize providers and seekers.
Oops, you just lost Jeff Bezos on that one—if there’s a profit to be made, no principle is going to stand in his way. Amazon isn’t going to close warehouses because some employees are upset by a SCOTUS ruling. It has already invested billions of dollars in the nation.
Netflix was sick and tired of demanding workers in May. It was a wonderful moment. As activists often forget (as do companies listening to them), is the fact that large swathes of the population are not supportive of progressive politics. Those people, however, have pockets.
As Disney’s experience has shown, those who continue to be obedient to their workers will suffer. It will be interesting to see how Amazon reacts to these ludicrous demands, but my guess is they’ll go for a lot of it—except where it affects the bottom line.
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