Amazon Deletes Two 'Union Buster' Job Listings After Widespread Criticism

Amazon.com, Inc AMZN deleted job listings related to tracking threats from labor organization after coming under criticism, Fortune reported Tuesday.

What Happened: The Jeff Bezos-led company deleted the two listings — one for a senior intelligence analyst and another for an intelligence analyst — at its Phoenix, Arizona-based Global Security Operations’ “global intelligence program,” according to Fortune.

The program’s mandate involves keeping Amazon’s leadership abreast of corporate risks, including those related to protests.

In its job listings, the e-commerce giant said duties “may cover topics including organized labor, activist groups, hostile political leaders.” The potential hirees were expected to keep themselves informed on “topics of importance to Amazon” including organized labor.

After the job posts became widely known, they came under criticism on social media.

Amazon is looking for a snitch to report on employees who want fair labor practices. https://t.co/rD9AQ8qlgt

— Selena (@selenalarson) September 1, 2020

Meredith Whittaker, co-founder of New York University’s AI Now Institute, described the advertisements as a call to hire an “in-house union buster,” which she said was “gross.” Whittaker added that it is “one more sign of monopolistic disregard for laws and decency.”

Amazon said in its defence that the job posting was “not an accurate description of the role — it was made in error and has since been corrected,” according to CNBC.

Why It Matters: Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont said Amazon’s actions were “disgusting” and went on to castigate Bezos.

Disgusting. Jeff Bezos became the richest man on Earth while spying on, underpaying, and mistreating his workers.
We must build a powerful trade union movement to stand up to the billionaire class and finally say: Enough. You cannot have it all. https://t.co/9gjeWv67D6

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 1, 2020

Amazon workers had protested the working conditions at the company’s warehouses in March during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In May, an employee of the retail giant said that at least 600 workers had been infected with COVID-19 and six had died.

Last week, Bezos became the first person to be worth over $200 billion as Amazon’s stock jumped 81% year-till-date. 

Price Action: Amazon shares traded 1% higher at $3,535.35 in the pre-market session Wednesday.