I, an Amazonian manager, member of HR, and/or Global Security, pledge to not spy on other Amazon workers, and to use my special position and influence to stop or reduce Amazon’s spying on its workers.
I will continually work to earn trust from other Amazon workers. Spying on worker conversations and activities where there is an expectation of privacy is unethical, and a violation of that trust. I will benchmark myself against the highest ethical standard, and not only against my manager, or our competitors.
I will demand that Amazon take corrective action when it breaks the trust of its workers. I will not settle for purely symbolic actions, or compromise for the sake of social cohesion. Amazon must work to regain the trust of its workers. I will rise to the occasion to make things right, despite setbacks in Amazon’s ethical standards.
I will think bigger than just one or two spying incidents, or just spying in the past. I will insist on fixing worker trust issues before they grow, and not only after a massive outcry. Many will think my standards are too high, but I will inspire them to action through my own, bold action.
I recognize that my particular position within Amazon gives me greater influence over decisions relating to worker privacy, even if I am not the most directly affected by those decisions. I will work backwards from those impacted by the decisions I make, in order to amplify their voices.
Amazon must be a leader in workplace ethics and standards, not only in the number of packages shipped or total market capitalization. I know that I don’t just work here, and that worker privacy is not just a nice-to-have. Amazon and its workers must be in a balanced relationship. We have labor laws to ensure balance in this relationship, and privacy among workers is key to the functioning of those laws.
To this end, and for the sake of ethical business practices, I will raise the bar on ethical business practices at Amazon, in accordance with the Amazon employee handbook and other internal policies, as well as remaining aware of my legal protections and options.
Signed,
An Amazonian