If Amazon wants to be the 'Earth's best employer' it needs to listen to employees

Amazon has historically opposed trade union recognition by engaging in union suppression practices, like resisting trade union recognition through coercion. (Shutterstock)

In his farewell letter to shareholders last year, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced a new mission for his company: “Earth’s best employer and Earth’s safest place to work.” The company has since added these goals to its list of corporate values.

As the second largest employer in the United States (behind Walmart) and an employer of increasing scale in Canada and around the world, this declaration is good news. Amazon has the potential to positively impact the lives of over a million employees.