Smalls shares experiences of Amazon labor advocacy at AUF summer camp in Norway

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic on March 30, 2020, Chris Smalls lost his job at Amazon. That same day, he initiated a spontaneous strike where employees demanded protective equipment during the health crisis. Smalls believes he was fired as a result of his activism.

Since then, he has founded the Amazon Labor Union, the first union for Amazon workers, which boasts thousands of members. However, the corporation continues to deny them the right to negotiate wages for its employees.

Smalls was invited to Norway by the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) and the youth organization of the Labour Party (AUF). In early August, he shared his experiences of working in the warehouses of the world’s largest online retailer during a summer camp hosted by AUF. He recounted the immense physical toll of the job, noting that many young workers suffer severe injuries from demanding work routines.

Smalls described the stringent productivity demands he faced as a supervisor in a warehouse, where employees must pick an overwhelming number of items each hour and are closely monitored. He illustrated the company’s reliance on technology, noting that employees could be terminated via an app for not meeting the productivity standards.

Moreover, he detailed his struggles against Amazon’s anti-union tactics, claiming the company has spent over $14 million to dismantle union efforts, employing surveillance and intimidation to discourage workers from unionizing.

Despite these challenges, he noted some improvements following the establishment of the union, including advocacy for the “Warehouse Workers Protection Act” in New York, which aims to protect workers from unfair dismissal related to unrealistic productivity expectations. Smalls, however, remains firm in his personal boycott of Amazon, arguing that local businesses deserve support instead.