Amazon employees are speaking out about the return of a controversial mobile phone ban after the devastating tornadoes ripped through the Midwest on Friday, destroying an Illinois warehouse and killing at least six employees.
The ban on phones on the warehouse floor was relaxed by the e-commerce giant, but has been slowly reintroduced across the country. In case of an emergency, Amazon revoked the protocol to allow staffers to get in touch with loved ones.
Several employees at Amazon are questioning the policy again after the collapse of an Illinois warehouse left at least six workers dead and an unknown number missing on Friday.
A wall the size of a football field and the roof above it collapsed at the warehouse when severe storms hit the region, leaving an unknown number of Amazon employees trapped among the rubble.
Rescue crews arrived on the scene immediately, where one worker was flown to a nearby hospital and 45 staffers were evacuated from the ruins. The recovery effort is expected to continue for three days.
The governor of Kentucky said on Sunday that he thought at least 80 people were killed in the state. The storms tore through parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri.
Amazon staffers were worried that banning phones would leave them unable to quickly call for help or access information about dangerous conditions that could endanger them.
An Amazon worker from a nearby facility in Illinois said that after the deaths there was no way he was going to rely on Amazon to keep him safe. I will resign if they institute a no cell phone policy.
"After this, everyone is definitely afraid of not being able to keep their phones on them," one worker told the news agency. Most employees don't keep their phones on them for personal conversations throughout the day, it's for situations like this.
Warehouse Workers for Justice, an organization that works to organize Amazon workers in Illinois, said in a statement that it is calling on state legislators to hold a hearing to ensure all facilities are places of safety for workers and that no family has to worry whether or not their loved ones will make it home
"Amazon's safety and preparedness protocols are not controllable, but they are," the statement said.
Amazon did not respond to Insider's request to comment on the phone ban and if it has plans to change it. A representative for Amazon said the company was "deeply sad" by the news of the Illinois warehouse.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their loved ones, and everyone impacted by the storm," the Amazon representative said. We want to thank the first responders for their continued efforts.
Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, wrote a statement on Saturday night that he was "heartbroken over the loss." The statement came after criticism that the executive had been late to comment on the tragedy. The Blue Origin space crew is the next team to board the New Shepard rocket.
"All of the people in the area should know that the Amazon team is committed to supporting them and will be by their side through this crisis," Bezos wrote. We extend our gratitude to the first responders who have worked at the site.
