Amazon must reinstate fired worker who led protest over working conditions, judge rules
Summary
Amazon has been ordered to reinstate a worker who was fired after leading a protest over working conditions at a Staten Island warehouse in the early days of the Covid pandemic. On Monday, administrative law judge Benjamin Green agreed and said Amazon must offer Bryson his job back, as well as any lost wages and benefits "resulting from his discriminatory discharge." Green argued Amazon rushed to judgment and conducted a "skewed investigation" of the altercation that was designed to find reasons to fire Bryson for his participation in the protest. He added that Amazon interviewed selective sources during investigation, some of whom provided false information, including allegations that Bryson called the employee a racial slur during the argument. "We strongly disagree with this ruling and are surprised the NLRB would want any employer to condone Mr. Brysons behavior," Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told CNBC in a statement.