April 1, 2020

To: Jeff Bezos, [email protected] , [email protected], Christie Lee, [email protected] , Marika Hart, [email protected], Beth Galetti, [email protected], Dave Fildes, [email protected]

From: Concerned Elected Officials and National Union Leaders Re: Call on Amazon to heed its workers’ warnings, shut down warehouses to implement adequate COVID-19 protections, and reinstate whistleblower immediately

Dear Jeff Bezos and Amazon Executives:

We write to you today shocked at reports that Amazon warehouses are not practicing the protocols necessary to protect the well-being of your workers and of the public. And we are outraged to hear that not only did Amazon executives NOT promptly address the concerns being articulated by your own workers, but you actually fired one of the lead whistleblowers immediately following his courageous action Monday. We call for the swift reinstatement of Chris Smalls to reassure all workers and observers that speaking out about improvements needed to health and safety practices right now is not only tolerated, but WELCOMED as critically important to all of our well-being. You claim to have adopted a number of practices to sanitize worksites and protect workers. But a compelling number of workers have come forward - and even run the incredible personal risk of walking off the job - to report that the actual situation in warehouses does not match Amazon’s public relations statements. They report that the circumstances of their work make it impossible to comply with public health protocols - reporting crowded spaces, a required rate of work that does not allow for proper sanitizing of work spaces, and empty containers meant to hold sanitizing wipes. Your workers deserve to have full protections and to be confident that they are not carrying COVID-19 home to their families. And the safety of your workers also impacts the safety of everyone who touches or receives packages once they leave your warehouses. We write in support of your own workers calling for you to CLOSE Amazon warehouses until you put into place real solutions - with independent monitors - to protect your workers and the public in this moment of public health crisis. We support workers who are calling for warehouse closures with full pay for all workers who depend on those warehouses for their income, until you put into place the following protocols: ■ Independent health and safety inspection and ongoing monitoring to ensure compliance with CDC and other governing health guidelines. ■ 100% pay for all employees during sanitation closures.

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■ Cancel all rate and productivity requirements which limit employee time for proper sanitation, including “Time Off Task” for all workers. ■ Stricter protocols for six foot distancing measures. ■ Cover childcare expenses for employees given district wide school closures. ■ Full pay for all workers who cannot return to work because of their own or family member illness or out of need to self-quarantine - for themselves or loved ones. ■ Retroactive pay for workers who have needed to take unpaid time off over the past month due to COVID-19 and its effects on our communities. ■ Issue a public statement of improved protocols - for the safety of your workers and the public.

SIGNATORIES:

Rich Trumka on behalf of the AFL-CIO Stuart Appelbaum on behalf of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union Lee Saunders on behalf of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Marc Perrone on behalf of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Randi Weingarten on behalf of the American Federation of Teachers Mary Kay Henry on behalf of the Service Employees International Union James Hoffa on behalf of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Amazon Employees for Climate Justice

ELECTED OFFICIALS of STATE

NYC Public Advocate NYS Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris NYC Comptroller NYS Senate Labor Chair Jessica Ramos NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson NYS Senator David Carlucci NYC Council Finance Chair NYS Senator Andrew Gounardes NYC Council Labor Chair NYS Senator Brad Hoylman NYC Council Member Adrienne Adams NYS Senator Brian Kavanagh NYC Council Member Alicka Ampry-Samuels

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NYS Senator Gustavo Rivera NYC Council Member NYS Senator Diane Savino NYC Council Member NYS Senator Julia Salazar NYC Council Member NYS Assembly Assistant Speaker Félix W. Ortiz NYC Council Member Andy Cohen NYS Assembly Member Robert Carroll NYC Council Member NYS Assembly Member NYC Council Member NYS Assembly Member NYC Council Member NYS Assembly Member NYC Council Member Rory Lancman NYS Assembly Member NYC Council Member NYS Assembly Member NYC Council Member Stephen Levin NYS Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell NYC Council Member Mark Levine NYS Assembly Member NYC Council Member NYS Assembly Member Robert Rodriguez NYC Council Member NYS Assembly Member NYC Council Member Bill Perkins NYS Assembly Member NYC Council Member Keith Powers NYS Assembly Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member Debbie Rose NYC Council Member NYC Council Member NYC Council Member Ritchie Torres NYC Council Member

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