Amazon corporate employees staged a walkout on Wednesday afternoon to express their discontent over recent job cuts, the return-to-office mandate, and Amazon's inaction on climate change. Nearly 2,000 individuals pledged to participate, with over 900 converging outside the Seattle headquarters. Employee advocacy groups stressed the need for workers to have a say in decisions directly affecting them, such as the company's return-to-office policy, and Amazon's contribution to the climate crisis.
Since November 2022, Amazon has axed more than 27,000 jobs throughout all divisions. Nevertheless, Amazon maintains a workforce of over 65,000 corporate and tech employees in the Pacific Northwest and around 350,000 worldwide. In May, the company enacted a new policy mandating in-office work at least three days per week - a call that was formerly made by individual managers.
Walkout organizers insist that Amazon must adopt remote and flexible work options to remain an innovative firm that attracts and retains top talent. Amazon's leadership believes that in-person work in an office setting fosters productivity and builds company culture. Company spokesman Brad Glasser cited heightened energy levels, increased collaboration, and strengthened connections as prime advantages of in-person work, a notion shared by numerous employees and neighboring businesses.
In addition, protesting employees demanded a shift in Amazon's stance on climate change. The company, notorious for its extensive carbon footprint, has been scrutinized for its role in the climate crisis for years. In 2019, then-CEO Jeff Bezos declared the Amazon Climate Pledge, which commits to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Days prior to the walkout, employees circulated a list highlighting the company's failure to uphold its pledge.
Detractors cite Amazon's lobbying efforts against an emissions bill in Oregon, where it plans to build new data centers, as well as a 40% increase in emissions since the pledge, as proof of the company's insufficient climate action. Protestors argue that as one of the most successful corporations in one of the richest countries globally, Amazon bears the responsibility to decarbonize swiftly in line with scientific imperatives. According to the employees, Amazon has yet to meet this essential requirement.
