The open letter, addressed to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, presented seven issues that attorneys general must address at either store, adding steps they take to provide non-public protective devices (PPE) to workers. with state legislation in poor health and provide knowledge about workers who contracted COVID-19 and those who died as a result of the virus.
“Amazon and Whole Foods will need to take every effort to protect their staff and consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said in an a-letter document. “We reiterate our call on these corporations to ensure that they comply with state law and federal rules to ensure the protection of critical personnel during this crisis.”
AMAZON WORKERS CALL FOR ‘VIRTUAL MARCH’ IN RESPONSE TO WORKING CONDITIONS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Amazon bought Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in 2017.
In reaction to the letter, an Amazon spokesman told Fox News that the company was “determined to secure a blank space and a workplace.” The spokesman added that more than “150 significant procedural changes” have been implemented, adding a blank step forward, social estrangement measures and PPE distribution.
In addition to Massachusetts, lawyers from Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and the District of Columbia signed the letter.
The letter arrives a few days after a worker at Amazon’s distribution center on Staten Island, known as JFK8, died of the virus. The site reported the death, the corporation told Fox News.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of a spouse on our Staten Island, New York site,” Amazon spokeswoman Rachael Lighty told Fox News at the time of his death. “Your circle of family members and loved ones is in our thoughts, and we are your colleagues.
A source near the stage noted that the worker was last in the hold on April 5. On 11 April it was shown that it was COVID-19 and remained quarantined. The source added that Amazon is running to update all of its workers on the site and is offering a recommendation to those at JFK8.
The first known death of an Amazon occurred on March 31 in Hawthorne, California. Another died a day later in Tracy, California.
The letter also named Whole Foods in particular, noting that “there appears to be serious COVID-19 advances in Whole Foods stores” in the thirteen states, adding several workers (six shown and up to 16) at a Washington DC comprehensive food store tested positive for the virus.
JEFF BEZOS COULD PROVE AMAZON’S POTENTIALLY CRIMINALLY FALSE STATEMENTS IN CONGRESS, LETTER REVEALS
“We are involved in our offices and the public learning about these serious developments through second-hand media reports, rather than listening to Whole Foods directly,” the letter reads. “Accordingly, we request that Whole Foods provide a description of its policies and processes, if any, that relate to notifying consumers, the public, and the public fitness government of THE serious advances of COVID-19 in the company’s stores.”
The letter to Bezos and Mackey also addressed the recent wave of layoffs, adding Christian Smalls, a former JFK8 worker, Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa, emphasizing that layoffs can simply break the law.
“Such conduct, if proven, would possibly violate Section 11(c) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act [29 U.S.C.660 (c), as well as legislation in some of our states that prohibits retaliation,” the letter reads. “Even the belief of retaliation for this public fitness emergency can be used to silence workers who raise valid concerns about physical fitness and protection, and to disclose to those workers, their co-workers, their clients, and the public about serious risks.”
Smalls demanded that the company run through Jeff Bezos close the distribution center for a thorough cleaning after an employee tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-March. He later fired, and Amazon told Fox News that he fired him for violating several terms of employment.
Following news of Smalls’ dismissal, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered an investigation into the incident. New York Attorney General Letitia James also issued a statement saying it “is disgraceful,” and that Smalls fired after “bravely taking a stand to protect himself and his colleagues.”
In April, Amazon fired two more employees, Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa, who criticized the alleged lax working conditions at its various warehouses and fulfillment centers around the country.
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As of Wednesday morning, more than 4.28 million cases of coronavirus worldwide were diagnosed, adding more than 1.37 million in the United States, the world’s most affected country.
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