Three Amazon software engineers in Seattle say they are being investigated for speaking out about data center regulation. The employees, Darius Irani, Liesel Wigand, and Patrick Schloesser, claim Amazon is retaliating against them for expressing political opinions outside work. They filed a complaint with Seattle’s Office for Civil Rights, alleging the company is illegally intimidating them for advocating environmental and social regulations for data centers. According to the employees, they were each called into virtual meetings with an Amazon employee relations staffer last Wednesday and told an investigation could take one to two weeks. They were also directed to use a speaker registration form they do not believe applies to their personal comments. Schloesser said he was told the probe could lead to being fired. The employees say they are not speaking on behalf of Amazon, which has not commented on the data center measure at issue. They identified themselves as members of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, a collective advocating for the company to address its role in climate change. They took to the city lectern to advocate for various regulations that Seattle is considering imposing on data centers. Amazon does not have a current or proposed data center in the city, but several other companies have put forth plans for new projects. Source: wired
Seattle is one of just a few jurisdictions in the country that prohibits private employers from discriminating against employees based on political beliefs or the organizations they belong to. Abby Lawlor, an attorney at Barnard Iglitzin & Lavitt, says the city has legal tools to fight back and ensure tech workers can be full democratic participants in local discussions. She hopes the city will enforce this vital law. Amazon and the Seattle civil rights office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Margaret Callahan, an Amazon spokesperson, previously told WIRED that the company respects employees’ right to voice their opinions and that it tries to be a responsible steward in the communities where it operates. The employees did not say they were speaking on behalf of the company, which to their knowledge did not make any formal comment about the data center measure at issue. Two other Amazon workers who spoke at later city council meetings say they have not received notice that they are under investigation. Source: wired
Data centers have become a political flash point because, while they can attract significant investment to communities, they are consuming increasing amounts of power and water to meet surging demand for AI. Amazon has developed technologies aimed at reducing the amount of resources its facilities consume, but a growing movement across the US is pushing for new ways to hold it and other companies accountable to their environmental goals. After receiving dozens of supportive comments from members of the public, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed a one-year moratorium on new data center construction to allow time to impose new rules on the industry. It was an emergency measure, giving it immediate effect, though the city’s mayor has also said she plans to formally sign off on it. Source: wired
