ASSOCIATED PRESS: An Amazon employee who coordinated a walkout of dozens of staff from its Staten Island warehouse has been fired, with the online retail giant telling CNN that he was supposed to be staying at home for two weeks after coming into contact with another worker who tested positive for coronavirus.of more than a dozen staff members at the facility on Monday, demanding the closure and sterilization of the site after at least one worker tested positive for the virus.
The workers were also demanding paid sick leave to be made an option for all workers, not just those who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or are in quarantine because of it, as testing across the U.S. remains shamefully limited. Less than a day after the walkout, Amazon said in a statement to CNN that Smalls had been fired for bypassing their request for him to stay home after having close contact with another worker who tested positive for the virus.by CNN, read: “Mr. Smalls was found to have had close contact with a diagnosed associate with a confirmed case of COVID-19 and was asked to remain home with pay for 14 days, which is a measure we’re taking at sites around the world.
Smalls told CNN in response: “For them to do it this way, and for the reasoning behind it, that tells you right there that they, number one, don't care about people, and number two, it’s just a target, a straight-up target." He also denied having come into contact with the ill worker, he wrote on Twitter via his “@Shut_downAmazon” account.: Other retailers have seen staff walk out this week, concerned that they are not being adequately protected against the financial and health risks posed by COVID-19.
Because the Vi Rus is B S & a manager should know better
BlondCornish So different from all those TV ads showing those oh-so-happy workers. Why pay out all that ad money then undermine yourselves, Amazon?
Greed and our government doesn’t do anything about it! They scratch each other’s back and bits! Time for change
Pls follow and share to start the experiment to raise public awareness of the disaster
RepAOC SenSchumer JoeBiden NYGovCuomo SpeakerPelosi BernieSanders where is leadership to FORCE amazon to provide safe conditions &hazard pay 4 workers? JeffBezos is the richest person on planet Bc of American SLAVE LABOR! AmazonStrike corona
EssentialWorkers are not protected. We are afraid to speak up for our safety in fear of retaliation. We need policies in place to keep our workers safe during this pandemic whoarewemovement
Bad move by Amazon. In Coronavirus times, the real companies are the ones that recognize that without workers they don't work and therefore take care of them. Money is recoverable, but life and health are not. AmazonStrike 👎🏻
I saw the interview saw the firing coming. Isn’t that called (Scapegoat)?. Sorry to hear that after 4 years of service.
DrMerle And they say Bezos is a good man 😂
Fire the trouble maker
How about a 1 day BoycottAmazon in support of christiansmalls
BoycottAmazon
No worker should lose their job ever when they are demanding more adequate or appropriate health procedures in the workplace for all employees and themselves. Legal action should be swift against Amazon and any company. States should mandate this protection immediately.
Shame on amazon !!
He was told to stay at home WITH pay for 14 days after being with someone that tested positive. He showed up with the strikers, was fired for safety violations! Kind of like calling out then seen on TV at the ballgame😳
They need Union protection..protest that!
Have a heart JeffBezos. What was done to mitigate concerns? You're worth billions and you won't pay your workers additional hazard pay or pay them when they get sick? You're a sick bastard and Amazon should be broken up after all this. Too much consolidation. Too big to fail.
The saddest part about this was the fact that Staten Islanders were finally happy to have more job prospects locally...only to be lead into a slaughterhouse.
COVID19 JeffBezos at amazon I'm sick and tired of seeing the way you mistreat your employees and the packaging waste your company generates. PoorExampleToMankind YouMustToBetter BoycottAmazon
We should stop buying on Amazon!! It is becoming a threat anyway if they don’t follow appreciate measures for protection, those packages are probably going to be contaminated!!!
Bezo runs sweathouses. Amazon treats employees as cattle. They dangle 'benefits' over t'heads of their workers as carrots to a beaten horse. They fire workers constantly just 2 hire more 2 have their warehouses seemingly in compliance w/NYC Labor agreement that's fatten pockets.
2. wiping the tears from their eyes, and praying for the families. And you couldn’t clean a building, to stop a death.
Whoa there Amazon, America is accommodating people these days. You can’t handle a little bit if cleaning? Go to NY and see what those Dr.s and Nurses are doing. One nurse to a patient, whose responsible for total care of their patients. Bathing, changing their gown,
Boo 😒 Big corporate greed!
*assistant to the manager
This is what is expected from Amazon. No surprises here. Companies like these use their money and power to down trotten the rights of the common folk.
He had been in close contact with someone who’d contracted Covid-19 and was asked to stay at home, but refused. He’d also have been arrested if it was in the UK. Sometimes headlines are intentionally misleading.
This guy has to be a millennial liberal. Rare breed of ignorance mixed with stupidity.
Fired because he was supposed to be on quarantine and he came into work.
Oh well buh bye sucker.
Christian Smalls is wrong. Do not rehire him. Amazon is totally within their rights to fire this moron. christiansmalls Just more people complaining when they have it 100x better than most people on Earth. Let them whine their life away.
Wonderful news! Some hard-working American will be thrilled to replace him with such an excellent job opportunity!
This is Bezos for the ones who don’t know him. It’s disgusting to look at him & his pretentious eyes; he’s cheap & not nice with his employees. How much would cost him to get PPE for his non-stop workers?
Shame on you Amazon , that’s absolutely awful!
Unbelievable! And I wanted to work in Amazon. 🙄
Me telling my wife to cancel our amazon account.
Man that sucks. amazon JeffBezos you guys suck!!!
Sack him millions would replace him today. Next story
Get your priorities straight, Amazon Worker Safety over profits. Jee. Sas.
This looks bad for Amazon 👿
He's protesting because he doesn't like how Amazon is handling things. Well you're fired. So you don't have to deal with them anymore 😎. And if it's soo bad I'm sure no one will take your place....😉
Now he can protest staying at home , it was stupid act of him
yargoddess Finna go take his spot lmao.
Cancelling Amazon Prime
If they don't all picket every day, and shut the warehouse down, they are just extra-firable troublemakers. The arrested tampa pastor did more to keep his people safe, and they chose to be there.
We all know the REAL reason why he was fired
Boycott amazon
And JeffBezos really needs 120 billion dollars? Shits crazy.
Get you some of that amazon money baby for wrongful termination.
amazon this will be the death of you EatTheRich BoycottAmazon
Shame on Bezos!! I wish we weren’t all so dependent on Amazon, this certainly calls for a boycott.
Looks like a veiled attempt at organizing a union within Amazon! When a member of management tries to “strike,” it’s like saying “I quit!” Smalls obviously was clueless or is a pawn.
Amazon should use sterilization on the warehouses getting the Covid virus. They should provide them with proper protective equipment
Retaliation laws mean Amazon will end up answering for this, but not before moving him so he can't lead the charge. They know this was a cheaper move than a full walk out. Fuck Besoz.
Is this legal
If anyone read the article, he was asked to stay home on paid leave after coming in contact with someone with Covid-19. He instead organized a large gathering.
& it goes against employees amendment rights. De blasio's having it looked in2 by the attorneys.He's actually doing something right shockingly enough.I couldn't B happier.BEZOS is Such a greedy piece of garbage w/all the 💰 he sits on.Disgraceful.Hope they nail BEZOS to the wall
Wooooooow
Give him his job back
Boycott amazon! And someone needs to hire this guy ASAP - he is obviously an amazing organizer and influencer. AmazonStrike BoycottAmazon
While losing his job is bad maybe it for the best if they gonna gamble with his health anyway.
Textbook union busting
Wait what Is he related to Biggie
Christian Smalls needed to remain in quarantine.I don't care if he was paid (I believe Amazon would have paid his reg hrs) or unpaid.But he wanted attn & put more people risk. He could have videocalled interviews w/ the media for attn. Stay home and stop putting RNs at risk!!!
Good. This is a time for Americans to pull together. If you don't appreciate your job, there are 1000's who would take your place
So they fired the for violations of covid-19 protection policies.
Ass clown Bezos...
Remember you are there voluntarily. It’s a business, not a state.
You should be ashamed amazon
nooouch That's not fair.💔
Isn't that retaliation? Should be illegal. Hope Smalls files a lawsuit.
You neglected to mention his reported EXPOSURE to ChinaVirus ChineseWuhanVirus ChineseVirusCorona and was to self quarantine.
So is that considered a safety violation...🤔
NachinRivera OscarDelDiablo 👀
Shameful
That’s so wrong, protect ur people Amazon, u have the money.
1. He's an asst mgr, a mgr leading a strike is usually grounds for dismissal at any co. 2. He violated the co direction to stay home as a precaution. Also grounds for dismissal. 3. His claim of close contact only 5 min is too long contact time.1/2
He deserved it for putting everyone else st risk
Can I say Union?
Lawsuit in the works.......
We can all do something about it!!! Do your part, don’t buy from Amazon for the next month!!
That’s very unfortunate! I don’t think he should be fired for wanting to protect the employees in risk of getting sick 😷😷😷 smh 🤦🏻♀️ like really Amazon! Take care of your employees! Damn it!
Shame on Amazon!!!
Amazon's NY businesses are taking a beating between AOC putting her district out of potential jobs and now lazy Staten Island ungrateful union workers walking off the job. I'd say it's time for Amazon to just do business in Friendly states.
THIS IS YOUR WHILSTEBLOWER! THIS IS YOUR LIFE DONT LET BIG CORP AND GREEDY ELITE LIVE IT FOR YOU ITS NOW OR NEVER
It’s Staten Island, he can go back to selling meth.... jokes aside, fuck Amazon. This just means that after the crisis they need to be heavily regulated.
Love all the comments in here by people who clearly have never worked for Amazon. This company caters to the workers’ bitching so much, it is really damn annoying. So many stupid changes made over the years because some idiot complained on the VOA board. Good riddance to Smalls.
Shame on Bezos!! He can hide in his multi million dollar homes but those of his workers have no where to hide from the Coronavirus and he leaves them helpless against this killer!! SHAME SHAME SHAME
HE HAD TO SCREW THIS CHINAVIRUS/PANDEMIC UP FOR THE DEMOCRATS!! NOW HOW ARE THEY GOING TO SLIP UNRELATED PORK DEALS INTO ANY LEGISLATION?
If you don’t like it there go get another job see how that works for you
That is why corporations should not get bailed out. Amazon has had a history of not putting workers safety first, no giving time for rest/bathroom breaks, warehouses without air conditioning and proper ventilation. Their workers do not have paid sick leave or health insurance.
LaurelRamoser Call OSHA.....
Whoever catches Covid19 from him must go out with “You’re killing me Small’s!”
BoycottAmazon
LAWSUIT
Same thing is happening at USPS plants. No protection, no cleaning, no discussion of safe measures, management keeping quiet about people out sick, and going about the day like this virus doesn’t exist.
This is not the time to start a strike! Be more discerning and think of the status of the country today! Talk to your superiors and help re sad ok s the problem!I’m sure they will be willing and even grateful that you are an asset st these moments of uncertainty!
As he should be. Managers should know better.
Fuck Amazon and Jeff Bezos!!
Nil Access Payments = Insurrection Citizens WE-A-1 Amazon Workers - Now Respect YNWA SOLITARITY NHS Johnson Trump United Nations who We See You ! Corbyn USA UK EUROPE ITALY SPAIN ISRAEL RUSSIA INDIA CHINA Social Isolation Distance = Resistance workers MAGA Coronavirustrut
Well...Mr. Smalls is about to be paid!
Yeah, that’s probably not going to stand up with the NLRB and the courts... the Wagner act expressly prohibits retaliation for “concerted actions” even if there is no union. And if what Smalls says is true, Amazon is also violating OSHA.
Let’s not forget, when looking at the problems workers are facing, that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is worth $119.9 BILLION dollars.
I know so many out of work now they would fill in and work.
That's wrong. Did the worker test positive for coronavirus?
I stopped shopping with Amazon just before this really hit the US. I saw the price gouging weeks ago and their 3rd party dealers are out of control. I don’t trust them not to send me something that isn’t contaminated.
J_Bloodworth are we surprised!
They should have protection
Amazon is putting Americans at risk during this time of PANIC BUYING, billionaires at Amazon are raking in record profits off online buying! Amazon needs to STEP UP & put in place better controls for limiting viral spread among workers and ON ITEMS AND PACKAGES. AmazonStrike
amazon I guess I’m shopping at Walmart and officedepot. cancelamazonsubscription
Amazon has really outdone themselves... they truly are the epitome of capitalism, couldn't care less about their workers. They are not only inhumane, they are abhorrent.
Dont know which is worse ? The virus or AOC.?
JeffBezos runs an awful company and New Yorkers are horrible at social distancing.
CAMELOT331 gonna assume you've heard?
BoycottAmazon
Amazon cares about money over people. Shame shame shame on you Amazon 👎
Do you believe Christian has any relationship with Biggie?
Wow Amazon JeffBezos what a f’d up company. Firing someone who simply wants themselves and others to be protected from this virus and now doesn’t have a job at a time like this. Appalling!
Amazon, Jeff Bezos, I loathe you and your company. Boycott support Workers!!!! Boycott Amazon!!
Hey Trump why not find those backdoor masks and help Amazon protect the workers! Or is Amazon as equally slimy as you are?
Too bad you didn't tell the real reason he was fired. Maybe you could tell the good people that he was to be under quarantine for COVID19. There, I did your job for you.
HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER 14 DAY QUARANTINE AND WAS PUTTING PEOPLE AT RISK. Try facts next time
No surprise here
Let’s just all start working out from these greedy corporations . The right time has come , they see us humans as ‘modern slaves ‘. Let the economy touch its knees . saynotoamazon
How about telling the real reason he was fired It probably wouldn’t have enough hits as this lie does, but it’s the truth.
I mean even we all saw that coming lol
Boycott Amazon
Amazon workers to unionize?
ThankfulThinker He was fired because he was supposed to be in quarantine because he came in contact with a worker that tested positive. I was thinking it was political at first but it’s not from my sources.
Gofundme inbound
Good. He should have been fired.
lawsuit youownamazon
Yeah, great idea..... stores are shut down , go ahead and shut down online ordering.... let’s all get hysterical and starve to death huddled in our homes.... Great Plan.....
Awesome there are plenty of illegals that will work
Amazon, You need to put the safety of your employees first and in turn this will put the safety of your customers as a priority! I'm a long time Prime member & if I don't see vast improvements by this weekend, I just figure my money that buys your merch isn't important to you!
Shameful billion dollar company. Shame on Bezos.
Where’s AOC? The savior
U think JeffBezos could take care of the whole Amazon family until this Corona issue blows over... ClasslessBezos
Good riddens Christian. You are useless.
When you are a manager have to be careful
Shameful Amazon!!!!
This is how people actually begin to starve. The warehouse workers refuse to work in warehouses. Then the grocery store employees refuse to work in crowded grocery stores Then We starve. Just do your job please. It's just as brave, working in a warehouse as a hospital
There is nothing I need from Amazon right now...maybe indefinitely.
If you want the job, there are more appropriate ways to handle one's concerns.
amazon if this is true you have lost my business I am sure a lot will do the same
5 Driver at UPS where my fiancé works tested positive for the virus. I have a week Immune system so now I’m even more worried cause he has to work. He’s a Preloader and a Driver. Everyone who HAS to work please BE SAFE
Bye.
I support the AmazonStrike.
Shame on Amazon 😡
Guess it's just ok to terminate those worker's who expose wrong doings if you're a Democrat, see they don't be having any of that nonsense 'whistleblowers' stuff, only trouble some employees who gots to go
Another one in a line of many, thought decades and decades, whose voices needs to be silenced when those in charge above, don't do what's right by their workers.
The church of the mighty dollar has spoken.
So there's an assistant managers job available at Amazon? Lots of people want that job!
Boycott Amazon, use Ebay or anyone else.
Assistant manager? What give him a raise instead
Unfortunately this worker put the others in danger by not applying physical distancing and allowing them to gather. Good cause goes wrong.
BoycottAmazon
And give Mr. Smalls his job back!!
Hey Amazon, yeah you Bezos, stop putting profit over the safety of your employees. This is a dam shame!! You are too big for your britches Bezos...!!!
Bye Bye!
Maybe because he was contagious and sent home with pay and came back to work anyway. More fake news.
FUCK JEFF BEZOS! 🤬
Boycott Amazon, making money should never outweigh employees lives. Bezos how much money does one person actually need?
Better things are in store for him. He needs to stay alive more than he needs that job. My father's motto, 'Don't ever work at a job that makes you miserable.' My mother's motto, 'QUIT!!' Their words spoken to me when I hated a job I worked at.
Leaving his home quarantine to lead a walkout is probably not in his job description. He is one of those selfish people out there endangering other people's lives making the outbreak worse. Just saying, there's ways to do things and ways not to.
He had Corona. He came back still infected wearing a mask and demanded they clean every warehouse so he and others wouldn’t get it AGAIN, instead of OBEYING HIS GD QUARANTINE RULES!!! He was let go for endangering everyone! The protestors don’t even know why they’re protesting 😠
Hell yes!
There are zero companies that can protect their employees from this known pathogen but per OSHA they are supposed to. Instead of listening to their employees they are making shit up as they go. Making shit up is not a PPE. When we get back on track I can see a big bump in unions
Christian Smalls: this is BUll sh*t, everyone protest! Amazon: you’re killin me smalls
Hopefully they hit Amazon with a negligence lawsuit
Corporate American greed.
Get your facts straight, clowns!
Jeff Bezos cares about HIS money, not the health of his employees. highly recommend to have every single Amazon employee from all over America to walk out. however, i doubt that because everybody needs money for living in this crisis situation...🤷🏾♂️ JeffBezos amazon
🇺🇸 Read the article y'all. Damn the headlines not amazon.
Keep going Christian!
Wait protesting your employer can get you fired?
Now he find a job at a company that respects their employees. amazonsucks
Good for Amazon 👍
He tested positive for COVID-19 and still went on to lead this protest?
SUPPORT SMALL/LOCAL BUSINESSES.
Quite a misleading headline...click bait much
Your killin’ me Smalls
Lmao idc wheres my package
As the old saying goes - talk shit, get hit. In this case, he was hit with walking papers. Next time try being a good employee and see if it helps you keep your job.
Go Christian.
amazon is capitalist trash solidarity with comrade Smalls
Huelga , we dont need this company.
Here comes his gofundme 😂
I know Amazon doesn’t have a great history of treating some lower level employees well, but this guy was supposed to be in quarantine and recklessly endangered others.
They fired him and showing up back to work after they told him to go home with pay for 14 days because he was exposed to covid-19. Stop spreading lies!
Shame on Amazon for handling this, this way. They should take this seriously!
but that's not enough for as many days as they say the virus can sit on plastic and cardboard and metal and these guys need warehouses well they're dealing with all those kinds of things from all these different people constant influx of materials and goods from all over
Interesting 🤔 part of the demand was hazard pay a doubling of their regular salary that sounds more like extortion rather than asking for protection, just saying That employee also put others at risk because they didnt practice social distancing with their demonstration! Amazon
Well then Not surprising.
Are they giving them the opportunity not to go to work and if so quarantine if they feel ill or are they going to hold their jobs over their heads if they decide they need to take a couple weeks off for quarantine?
Not to mention you have these guys sharing equipment like forklift Cindy preaches and are they sanitizing it every single time they get in behind someone else? Is a job providing them with masks or hand sanitizers or anything else to protect themselves?
And they’ll hire new to people to pass the virus to. Amazon doesn’t care.
Theres nothing wrong with him CONCERN about safety... of his health and others... god bless you mr. Smalls may you protect your health & safety at all times
There's an Amazon Warehouse near me too and I'm sure that that aswell as every other Warehouse in the area is not necessarily following strict sanitizing procedures. There's already two warehouses that had to shut down in this area due to the virus in some employees
Forgot to mention he was quarantined for Covid19 and exposed others.
They need to check into all these warehouses. Geodis in Edwardsville Illinois is continuously hiring brand new temps in the building, therefore exposing all of their people to who knows what, from who knows where, from who knows who.
It’s a private organization based in a country with an ample supply of bodies. Walkouts don’t mean much in this modern age...corporations have become too powerful. A strong online/SM campaign would have worked better.
Amazon is a juggernaut because it's predicated on American lazyness...
FYI - you can permanently delete your Amazon account at this link:
Anti-union fuckers
Everyone, what do you think? Should we stop all our amazon PrimeVideo amazonmusic shopping! Resisters what should we do right now? Michelle
Tell the whole story.
Guess they will be better protected at home.
Good. Don't walk out if your job. If you have a disagreement talk to your boss
AshleyKingOnAir Lol
sigh.
That’s for posting this that’s exactly what they did to my uncle 😓
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: BusinessInsider - 🏆 729. / 51 Read more »
Source: CNN - 🏆 4. / 95 Read more »
Source: MarketWatch - 🏆 3. / 97 Read more »
Source: ELLE Magazine (US) - 🏆 472. / 51 Read more »
Source: ELLE Magazine (US) - 🏆 472. / 51 Read more »