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You might not want to hear it, but those that were fired recently were using their company email address to organize union discussions. You just can’t do that,

You might not want to hear it, but those that were fired recently were using their company email address to organize union discussions. You just can’t do that, no matter how justified one is to pursue unionizing.

juliushuijnk 6y ago
Why can't you?
Bahamut 6y ago
That doesn't appear to be true: https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/the-law/employees/your-rights-during-union-organizing https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/the-law/em... > Also, restrictions on your efforts to communicate with co-workers cannot be discriminatory. For example, your employer cannot prohibit you from talking about the union during working time if it permits you to talk about other non-work-related matters during working time.
- csharptwdec19 6y ago
  At that point the devil is in the details. I worked at a place where all emails had to be work related. That was in the Cable TV Industry. Which, in it's own way makes sense; that industry has a 'Owner'->'Prime Contractor'->'Subcontractor' tiered setup for work that has always had the unspoken purpose of preventing field workers and installers from unionizing. Wanted to send out an email about a fundraiser or special weekend craft thing? Had to have HR give the OK. -IF- Amazon had and enforced such a policy it could be considered non-discriminatory. But I'm somehow doubting such a policy is fully enforced even if it is on the books.
  - kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
    Unionization is work related.
zozbot234 6y ago
Isn't that a protected workplace activity?
- likpok 6y ago
  In 2019 the NLRB said no, overruling a 2014 ruling that said yes.
Symbiote 6y ago
The union was already set up at my previous employer, but they used work email including an Exchange distribution list and Outlook calendar events to organize it. (This was in the UK.)
twojacobtwo 6y ago
Why not?
wpietri 6y ago
I look forward to citations for both those points. But I suspect what you mean is not that the employees did anything illegal, but that you believe a company is legally allowed to fire you for that. If that company is eager to fire people for trying to organize. Because that is what I'm objecting to here.
ViViDboarder 6y ago
Doesn’t really change the ethics of it.

juliushuijnk 6y ago

Why can't you?

Bahamut 6y ago

That doesn't appear to be true: https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/the-law/employees/your-rights-during-union-organizing https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/the-law/em... > Also, restrictions on your efforts to communicate with co-workers cannot be discriminatory. For example, your employer cannot prohibit you from talking about the union during working time if it permits you to talk about other non-work-related matters during working time.

csharptwdec19 6y ago
At that point the devil is in the details. I worked at a place where all emails had to be work related. That was in the Cable TV Industry. Which, in it's own way makes sense; that industry has a 'Owner'->'Prime Contractor'->'Subcontractor' tiered setup for work that has always had the unspoken purpose of preventing field workers and installers from unionizing. Wanted to send out an email about a fundraiser or special weekend craft thing? Had to have HR give the OK. -IF- Amazon had and enforced such a policy it could be considered non-discriminatory. But I'm somehow doubting such a policy is fully enforced even if it is on the books.
- kevin_thibedeau 6y ago
  Unionization is work related.

zozbot234 6y ago

Isn't that a protected workplace activity?

likpok 6y ago
In 2019 the NLRB said no, overruling a 2014 ruling that said yes.

Symbiote 6y ago

The union was already set up at my previous employer, but they used work email including an Exchange distribution list and Outlook calendar events to organize it. (This was in the UK.)

twojacobtwo 6y ago

Why not?

wpietri 6y ago

I look forward to citations for both those points. But I suspect what you mean is not that the employees did anything illegal, but that you believe a company is legally allowed to fire you for that. If that company is eager to fire people for trying to organize. Because that is what I'm objecting to here.

ViViDboarder 6y ago

Doesn’t really change the ethics of it.