The Post reviewed an email sent by a lawyer for Amazon’s employee-relations group to two workers in October. The letter alleged the employees ran afoul of the company’s external communications policy. Further violations could “result in formal corrective action, up to and including termination of your employment with Amazon,” the letter notes.
The employees--Maren Costa, a principal user-experience designer, and Jamie Kowalski, a software development engineer--told The Washington Post in October that Amazon was acting irresponsibly because its cloud computing operation helps oil-and-gas-company exploration. Also in October, Costa met with Amazon’s human resources department about her concerns.
“It was scary to be called into a meeting like that, and then to be given a follow-up email saying that if I continued to speak up, I could be fired,” Costa said. “But I spoke up because I’m terrified by the harm the climate crisis is already causing, and I fear for my children’s future.”
Amazon spokeswoman Jaci Anderson said the company is not trying to silence its workers, noting that employees are “encouraged to work within their teams,” including by “suggesting improvements to how we operate through those internal channels.”