Amazon Says It Complies With International Labor Standards. It Absolutely Does Not.
Amazon has released a laughable statement denying what’s been obvious since the company’s founding: that it, like many other US companies, actively and systematically violates international labor standards prohibiting anti-union interference in workers’ business.
A worker sorts out packages in the outbound dock at Amazon fulfillment center in Eastvale, California, on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. (Watchara Phomicinda / MediaNews Group / The Press-Enterprise via Getty Images)
On March 11, 2022, Amazon published a policy statement professing a commitment to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
The human-rights policy opens by affirming that “Amazon employees are the foundation of our success as a company, and we are committed to respecting the fundamental human rights and the dignity of workers everywhere we operate around the world.” The company notes that the International Labor Organization (ILO) and United Nations recognize workers’ right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. “We respect and support these standards,” the statement reads.
While anyone who has followed the company’s union busting as of late knows that is untrue, a new report from the UC Berkeley Labor Center details the extent of the problem. Titled Failure to Deliver: Assessing Amazon’s Freedom of Association Policy under International Labor Standards, the report details Amazon’s violations of the international standards to which the company has now pledged allegiance.
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