Why is this important?
Amazon, needs to reinstate free onsite testing for workers to stop the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant of Covid. The world’s largest employer previously offered free in-house testing for warehouse workers and they can 100% do it again.
Under the highly contagious Omicron Covid variant, Amazon should be making testing easier for employees in order to stop its spread. But the world’s largest employer is failing their workers by stopping free onsite warehouse testing and scaling back paid leave from two weeks to one. Sick workers are scrambling to find free testing and support from Amazon.¹
Tell Andy Jassy, Amazon CEO (who replaced Jeff Bezos last July), to reinstate free Covid testing, longer quarantining, and sick days for their workers.
Amazon is making billions off the pandemic. The tech giant, with profits that rose over 220% during Covid,² can afford to reinstate onsite testing.
This isn’t the first time Amazon has brazenly risked public health and their workers’ lives. In November, Amazon settled a case with the California attorney general over claims that it concealed Covid-19 case numbers. As part of the settlement (still subject to court approval), Amazon must notify workers within 24 hours of new Covid cases and notify local health agencies within 48 hours.³
But if workers are struggling to get tests or test results, then Amazon doesn’t have anything to report — and infected employees could keep on working and spreading the virus.
Take action now. Sign the petition to tell Amazon’s CEO, Andy Jassy, to stop risking lives and reinstate free warehouse Covid testing for their workers.
Sources:
1. “Ailing Amazon workers struggle to find Covid tests themselves,” NBC News, Jan 13, 2022.
2. “Amazon's profit soars 220 percent as pandemic drives shopping online,” The New York Times, May 12, 2021.
3. “Amazon settles claims it concealed Covid-19 cases from workers,” CNBC, November 15, 2021.
