Global coalition forms working group targeting Amazon's employee surveillance

UNI Global Union is collaborating with the International Lawyers Assisting Workers Network (ILAW Network) to establish a new Working Group on Surveillance and Freedom of Association, targeting Amazon's surveillance practices. This initiative aims to hold the e-commerce giant accountable for its use of surveillance technology to monitor employees and hinder unionization efforts.

The formation of this working group comes amid growing criticism from labor unions and rights groups worldwide regarding Amazon’s use of artificial intelligence and automated decision-making to track worker productivity and behavior. The initiative will unite legal experts to devise strategies for protecting workers' rights to organize, using Amazon as a primary case study. These practices are viewed by many as creating a culture of fear and suppression, posing a threat to freedom of association—a fundamental right.

Christy Hoffman, General Secretary of UNI Global Union, emphasized the global significance of this effort. “The issue of workplace surveillance has gained new importance in the age of AI. Unions must explore both new and existing legal theories and tools to confront this challenge. We must put an end to the attacks on privacy, health, safety, and dignity, as well as the added stress that comes from constant monitoring. Beyond these well-known problems, surveillance alone represents a direct threat to workers’ ability to organize. It is no surprise that Amazon leads the pack in both excessive surveillance and union-busting. The time to coordinate our strategies is now.”