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Amazon CEO Andy Jassy violated labor laws when making \u201ccoercive statements\u201d about unions during interviews conducted in 2022, a judge for the National Labor Relations Board ruled on Wednesday<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWhat we tell our employees in our fulfillment centers is that we think they\u2019re better off without a union for a few reasons,\u201d Jassy said at the DealBook Summit. \u201cOne is we try to hire people who we empower, if they find ways that they can make the experience better for customers or their fellow teammates, they can just go fix it. You know, they, they don\u2019t have to go through a union. It\u2019s not bureaucratic, it\u2019s not slow.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n An NLRB judge said that Jassy\u2019s statements \u201cthreatened employees\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n In the ruling, NLRB Judge Brian Gee said that Jassy\u2019s statements \u201cthreatened employees,\u201d implying that \u201cif they selected a union, they would become less empowered and would find it harder to get things done quickly.\u201d Judge Gee recommends that Amazon cease and desist from making threatening statements about unions. He also recommends that Amazon post a notice at its facilities that reminds workers of their rights.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe strongly disagree that any part of these comments were inappropriate and intend to appeal,\u201d Amazon spokesperson Mary Kate Paradis says in an emailed statement to The Verge<\/em>. \u201cThe decision reflects poorly on the state of free speech rights today, and we remain optimistic that we will be able to continue to engage in a reasonable discussion on these issues where all perspectives have an opportunity to be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n