Outside view of an Amazon warehouse fulfillment center in Staten Island NY, April 17, 2020. May 1st is recognized as International Workers Day, and some Walmart, Target, Fedex, Amazon and Whole Foods planned a nationwest working conditions. [Editor’s Note: Image taken 4.17.2020] (Anthony Behar/Sipa USA)
(AP) — A judge has ruled Amazon must reinstate a former employee who was fired in the early days of the pandemic after leading a protest calling for the company to do more to protect workers against COVID-19.
On Monday, administrative law judge Benjamin Green said Amazon must offer the former worker, Gerald Bryson, his job back, as well as lost wages and benefits resulting from his “discriminatory discharge.” Amazon intends to appeal the ruling.
Bryson led the protest in April 2020 in front of the Staten Island warehouse that voted to unionize earlier this month. While off the job during the protest, Bryson got into a dispute with another worker.
He was later fired for violating Amazon’s vulgar-language policy.
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