Nearly 2,000 Amazon employees walked off the job on Wednesday in protest of the company’s recent return-to-office mandate, layoffs, and its environmental record.
The walkout, which was organized by Amazon Employees for Climate Justice and Amazon’s Remote Advocacy community leaders, took place at the company’s headquarters in Seattle and offices around the world.
Employees who participated in the walkout said they were frustrated with Amazon’s decision to require employees to return to the office full-time, even though many of them have been successfully working remotely for the past two years.
They also expressed concern about the company’s recent layoffs, which have affected thousands of employees.
“We are walking out because we are tired of being treated like second-class citizens,” said one employee who participated in the walkout. “We want to be able to work from home, and we want Amazon to take climate change seriously.”
In a statement, Amazon said it respects the right of employees to express their views.
“We are committed to providing our employees with a variety of work options, and we are constantly evaluating our policies to ensure that they meet the needs of our employees,” the company said.
The walkout is the latest sign of growing unrest among Amazon employees. In recent months, there have been several reports of employee protests and walkouts at the company.
The protests are a sign that Amazon employees are increasingly willing to speak out against the company’s policies. It remains to be seen whether the protests will have any impact on Amazon’s decision-making, but they are a clear indication that employees are not happy with the way the company is being run.