Amazon Unveiled: Beyond the Surface of the Tech Titan

By Ayman Okeil
It seems that misfortunes do not come singly for Amazon. The International Trade Union Confederation has included the company among six others on a list of businesses that undermine democracy. This list highlights companies observed to have high risks in their activities and supply chains, which do not respect human rights. In December 2024, the father of a worker at an Amazon warehouse in Irving, Texas, filed a lawsuit against the company, accusing it of failing to protect his daughter from an assault by an employee with a history of multiple sexual assault complaints. The father reported the incident to Amazon’s human resources department the day after it occurred. The lawsuit also alleges that Amazon was uncooperative when local police arrived to arrest the perpetrator.
Despite the allegations in the lawsuit, the company claimed that the employee was a part-time worker and not a supervisor at the Irving warehouse, denying the assertions made. Amazon stated that it assisted the police in identifying and apprehending the perpetrator outside the facility. However, independent sources indicate that the company failed to help the police, corroborating the father’s account. Regardless of the incident’s specifics and their veracity, it reignites discussions about Amazon’s violations, both in the United States and globally.

In December 2024, Amazon workers across various American cities staged a mass strike in protest against the company’s refusal to accept union intervention and recognize collective bargaining. They also criticized what they deemed arbitrary policies regarding long working hours and insufficient rest periods, which they argue lead to a high incidence of injuries. Moreover, there are allegations that the company manipulated injury statistics to conceal the truth and ignored expert recommendations related to occupational safety and health. A report issued by the U.S. Senate indicated that Amazon obstructed access to basic medical care for its workers. In India, Amazon employees demanded better working conditions earlier in 2024, having endured temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius. Workers accused the company of intentionally forcing them to work under harsh conditions.

It is noteworthy that when Amazon selected a site for its headquarters in Africa, it chose a historical location significant to indigenous people in Cape Town, costing the company $300 million. Amazon has not responded to lawsuits from organizations and members of the indigenous community in Cape Town, who are demanding that the company withdraw from the site, as it represents their cultural heritage. Moreover, the company allegedly attempted to bribe some members of the local community to support the construction of its site on these lands. Some indigenous people view this tactic as part of a “divide and rule” strategy commonly employed by large corporations that establish projects on indigenous territories. It appears that the extent of the violations committed by Amazon may be even greater than reported. Amazon publicly claims its commitment to human rights, explicitly stating in its published policies that it respects the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the core conventions of the International Labor Organization, and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

However, I believe this commitment does not absolve the company and its various branches worldwide of moral responsibility. The company’s pledges must be translated into actionable policies and practices. Thus, I contend that these violations will inevitably persist as long as the company fails to respect the demands of its workers and take their concerns seriously. Furthermore, without decisive steps to implement the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Principles of Responsible Business Conduct, meaningful change is unlikely.