Amazon CEO Andy Jassy broke labor laws by saying workers are ‘better off’ without a union

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy violated labour laws erstwhile making “coercive statements” astir unions during interviews conducted successful 2022, a judge for nan National Labor Relations Board ruled connected Wednesday.

“What we show our labor successful our fulfillment centers is that we deliberation they’re amended disconnected without a national for a fewer reasons,” Jassy said astatine nan DealBook Summit. “One is we effort to prosecute group who we empower, if they find ways that they tin make nan acquisition amended for customers aliases their chap teammates, they tin conscionable spell hole it. You know, they, they don’t person to spell done a union. It’s not bureaucratic, it’s not slow.”

In nan ruling, NLRB Judge Brian Gee said that Jassy’s statements “threatened employees,” implying that “if they selected a union, they would go little empowered and would find it harder to get things done quickly.” Judge Gee recommends that Amazon cease and desist from making threatening statements astir unions. He besides recommends that Amazon station a announcement astatine its accommodation that reminds workers of their rights.

“We powerfully disagree that immoderate portion of these comments were inappropriate and intend to appeal,” Amazon spokesperson Mary Kate Paradis says successful an emailed connection to The Verge. “The determination reflects poorly connected nan authorities of free reside authorities today, and we stay optimistic that we will beryllium capable to proceed to prosecute successful a reasonable chat connected these issues wherever each perspectives person an opportunity to beryllium heard.”