https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-ceo-andy-jassy-violated-labor-law-with-union-comments-nlrb-rules/ Skip to content * Coronavirus * Local News + Traffic Lab + Law & Justice + Local Politics + Education + Education Lab + Eastside + Climate Lab + Environment + Health + Data + Mental Health + Project Homeless + Times Watchdog * Business & Tech + Boeing & Aerospace + Amazon + Microsoft + Technology + Real Estate + Economy + Artificial Intelligence * Nation & World + Nation & World Politics + Oddities * Sports + Seahawks + Mariners + Kraken + Storm + Sounders + Reign + Huskies + Cougars + High School Sports + On TV/Radio * Entertainment + Movies + Books + Music + Theater + Classical Music + TV/Streaming + Comics + Games & Puzzles + Horoscopes * Life + Food & Drink + Travel & Outdoors + Wellness + Pets + Rant & Rave * Pacific NW Magazine * Homes & Real Estate * Opinion + Editorials + Letters to the Editor + David Horsey + Free Press * Video * Photography * Obituaries + News Obituaries + Paid Obituaries * Newsletters * Print Replica * Today's Paper * Inside The Times * The Ticket * Explore * Jobs * Best in the PNW * Newsletters * Log In * Subscribe Amazon * Local * Biz * Nation * Sports * Entertainment * Life * Homes * Opinion * | * The Ticket * Jobs * Explore * All Sections * Local + Coronavirus + Traffic Lab + Project Homeless + Law & Justice + Local Politics + Education + Education Lab + Eastside + Environment + Northwest + Data + Health + Times Watchdog + Mental Health + Inside The Times + News Obituaries + Photo & Video + Nation & World + Politics + Oddities * Business + Boeing + Amazon + Artificial Intelligence + Microsoft + Technology + Economy + Real Estate * Sports + Seahawks + Mariners + Kraken + Storm + Sounders + Reign + Huskies + Cougars + High Schools + Snow Sports + Geoff Baker + Matt Calkins + Larry Stone + Bob Condotta + On TV/Radio * Entertainment + Movies + Books + Music + Theater + Classical Music + TV/Streaming + Comics + Games & Puzzles + Horoscopes * Life + Pacific NW Magazine + Food & Drink + Happy Hour + Wellness + Home & Decor + Pets + Rant & Rave + Bethany Jean Clement * Travel + Outdoors + Northwest Hikes + Washington + Oregon + B.C. + Hawaii * Opinion + Editorials + Letters + Op-Eds + David Horsey + Kate Riley + Mark Higgins + Brier Dudley + Alex Fryer + Carlton Winfrey + Claudia Rowe + Free Press * Columnists + FYI Guy + Seattle Sketcher + Danny Westneat + Naomi Ishisaka + Jon Talton * Best in the PNW * The Ticket * Jobs * Autos * Homes Listings * Classifieds * Paid Obituaries * Explore * Sponsored Posts * Seattle Times Store * Contact * FAQs * Subscriber Services * Print Replica * Today's Paper * iOS App * Android App * Boeing & Aerospace * Amazon * Real Estate * Economy * Microsoft * Technology Amazon * Boeing & Aerospace * Amazon * Real Estate * Economy * Microsoft * Technology Amazon * Newsletters * Log In * Subscribe * Amazon * Business * Nation & World Amazon CEO Andy Jassy violated labor law with union comments, NLRB rules May 2, 2024 at 12:16 pm By Lauren Rosenblatt Seattle Times Amazon reporter Amazon CEO Andy Jassy violated federal labor law when he said workers would be better off without a union, an administrative law judge for the National Labor Relations Board has found. Judge Brian Gee ruled Wednesday that a series of comments Jassy made during media interviews in 2022 had "threatened employees" and interfered with their right to unionize. In those interviews, Jassy acknowledged that it was workers' right to decide if they wanted to unionize, but continued on to say employees would be "less empowered with a union" and that "it would be harder to get things done quickly ... since unions are slower and more bureaucratic." Amazon spokesperson Mary Kate Paradis said the company strongly disagrees that Jassy's comments were inappropriate and intends to appeal the NLRB's ruling. "The decision reflects poorly on the state of free speech rights today, and we remain optimistic that we will be able to continue to engage in a reasonable discussion on these issues where all perspectives have an opportunity to be heard," Paradis said. Related More on Amazon * A divided Amazon Labor Union lurches toward a leadership election * One Amazon worker's lonely effort to unionize a WA warehouse * New federal bill aims to slow pace of work at Amazon, other warehouses More Advertising Jassy's comments referred to the growing effort to unionize Amazon's warehouse workforce, a movement that is still underway but has so far resulted in just one formal vote to unionize. Workers at Amazon's Staten Island facility in New York City voted to unionize at the end of March 2022. More than two years later, the union still does not have a contract. Those workers at Staten Island, the Amazon Labor Union, filed the complaint against Jassy with the NLRB in June 2022, relating to comments the CEO had made earlier that year. Seth Goldstein, the union's attorney, wrote on X that the "landmark ruling" was a "major win for workers' rights!" Related More on Amazon * Jassy, Bezos, other Amazon execs used Signal messaging app, a problem for FTC * Amazon reports $10.4 billion profit in first quarter of 2024 * Amazon CEO Jassy touts AI as company scales back jobs, projects More Amazon has 28 days to appeal the ruling. In the meantime, the company must post notices at its facilities, alerting employees that the NLRB has found that it violated federal labor law. The notice tells employees that federal law gives workers the right to form a union and that Amazon will not threaten workers or interfere with those rights. Amazon must also distribute a copy of those notices among its workforce. Because Jassy's comments appeared in "national media programs," Judge Gee determined that Amazon must make sure its postings and distributions of the notice "are national in scope, as well." Lauren Rosenblatt: 206-464-2927 or lrosenblatt@seattletimes.com; Most Read Business Stories * Whistleblower Josh Dean of Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems has died * Seattle-founded REI struggles to adapt to changing retail. What's next? * A seized superyacht shows up in Everett -- minus one Russian oligarch owner * Frank Shrontz, former CEO and chairman of Boeing, dies at 92 * Boeing duped the flying public before Alaska Air blowout, Flight 1282 passengers say View Comments Posting comments is now limited to subscribers only. View subscription offers here. For more information, visit our FAQ's. The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. 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