their best workers we can get at and it and chris smalling was caused that to be violated so that and the city led that walk out and no new york state attorney general efficient james called amazon's firing of small disk race full and said the office of the attorney general is considering all legal options as well as calling on the national labor relations board to investigate the incident what kind of injury issues could amazon face over all of this. well essentially i mean look depending on where this happens and obviously new york is a very union friendly state not saying that necessarily these workers are unionized but even so there are certain laws that protect workers and one of the laws that protect workers is essentially to prevent you from being fired if you go on strike if you are striking for the right reasons now keep in mind if you are striking for any reason at all and you say i'm as i'm going on strike let's do a strike you can be fired for that but if there are certain things like for instance if you believe that your employer or come the company that you work for is p

who organized a strike demanding greater protections for employees amid the corona virus outbreak chris small say management assistant at the facility was fired on monday afternoon after the strike smalls had organized a walkout to call attention to the lack of protections for warehouse workers in a statement to business insider small said amazon would rather fire workers than face up to its total failure to do what it should to keep us our families and our communities safe i am outraged and disappointed but i am not shocked as usual amazon would rather sweep the problem under the rug than act to keep workers and working for communities safe organizers say that at least 50 people join the walkout amazon says the number is actually fewer more like 15 joining us now is co-host of ben swan and investigative journalists as well ben thanks for joining me and i appreciate you being there ready to go when we had a little bit technical issues there amazon has its own side to this story why are they saying smalls was fired. sure that their reason is going to get him off the hook but they said that the

a couple of days ago, very, i don't want to say famously, it got publicity firing a gentleman chris smalls organized a walkout with the concerns about safety facilities at an amazon warehouse on staten island mr. smalls was laid off. you are approaching amazon amazon says and i'll get their statement out of the way first and then you can comment, ma'am. they didn't fire him because of the walkout. they fired him because he was exposed to a patient who was covid-19-positive and therefore he repeatedly effectively violated their physical contact and distancing measures jeopardizing other workers and that's why he got fired. your response to their statement and what are you going to do with amazon? >> there is a question of facts. their position is somewhat dubious. chris smalls was at the amazon warehouse and he organized a walkout to protest the lack of measures for workers and there was an individual who had approached him and he urged that this young lady go home because she had symptoms that were consistent with the virus. she went to get tested and went back to work despite the fact tha

we tried to reach chris smalls, who organize the amazon protest and was fired.zon said he was fired because he was not not keepiping social distancing rules or quarantining . chris smalls alleges because he organize the protest in amazon to keep workers safe. we will certainly continue to follow this issue. and a little correction earlier in the headlines, i talked about franklin graham, the president of the c christianan relief ororganizatition samaritan's pu, was helped organize a hospital outside of mount sinai here in new york in the middle of central park. i mentioned he was university president. he is in. -- he isn't. that is jerry falwell, who kept the university open despite the concern of many staff, teachers, and students. that does it for our show. by the way, whether or not we have access to medical masks, using a scarf is a great idea when you go outside. we must all protect ourselves to protect the community. all juan safety to everyone. juan, thank you for joining us. democracy now! is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed cap

leaked notes from an internal meeting of amazon company executives discussing a plan to malign chris smalls, calling him not smart or articulate. this was up early part of amazon's pr strategy to smear smalls and make him "the face of the entire union/organizing movement." can you u responond to this? >> absolutely. i would say amazon's actionss toward chris indicate a patteren of disrespect for all of the employees s in the workforce who speak out against dangers working conditions. there's a reason amazon has been named onone of the momost danges workplaces in the world by the natitional occupation healalth d safefety administration. it is becausese when workers spk up about dangerous conditions on their job, amazon swiftly depresses worker organizing, cuts corners, and ensures that workers dodo not have the abiliy to speak upp on the job safafely withouout being intitimidated. their actions toward chris are not only quite frankly racist, especially toward a black man in america, but indicate how they treat whistleblowers across our supply c chain. juan: : i wanted to askk you, related to

essential as they want us to be and just not fair and it's not right well most all insist said fired chris smalls after he did nor instructions to stay home for 14 days following his coming into contact with a colleague who tested positive but mr small claims it's more about amazon's bottom line. then notice that i was causing an uproar. staten island building that's one of the largest buildings in the tri state area army holds about 5000 people that's a lot of money that they make in that building a lot of money i'm expecting that i'm effect in the business by speaking out so they got rid of me probably the soundless me to terminate me to stop the movement but i see empowered me motivated me even more and i'm going to concede a fight like i said we're going to if they won't do it then we'll go go go above their head and we'll go to city hall. and now we'll fight with the government so the government steps in they set the bill. on a big push right now for pharmaceutical firms around the world is to get that call the 19 vaccine get the valentine artie's. has been finding out how efforts here in ru

fired chris smalls after he'd ignored instructions to stay home for 14 days following his coming into contact with a colleague who hung tested positive but he claims it's more about amazon's bottom line. they knows that i was called in the uproar. niland building one of the largest buildings in the tri state area holds about 5000 people. a lot of money that they make in that building a lot of money i'm effect in that i'm effect in the business by speaking out so they got rid of me probably to silence me to terminate me to stop the movement but i see empowered me so they motivated me even more and i'm going to continue to fight like i said we're going to day won't do it we are global go above the head and we'll go to city hall. and we'll fight with the government so the government steps in and shut the bill down. pharmaceutical firms around the world are currently in a race to develop a code 19 vaccine artie's tong has been finding out about efforts here in russia. before you start coming up with a vaccine you need to find something similar in all strains of the virus and only based on

essential as they want us to be and just not fair and this is not right well amazon insists it fired chris smalls after he did not instructions to stay home for 14 days of the coming to coincide with a colleague who tested positive but he claims it's more about amazon's bottom line . notice that i was causing an uproar a steady niland building that's one of the largest buildings in the tri state area holds about 5000 people that's a lot of money that they make in their building a lot of money i'm effect in that i'm effect in the business by speaking out so they got rid of me probably to silence me to terminate me to stop the movement but i see empowered me so they motivated me even more and i'm going to continue to fight like i said we're going to do it day won't do it we'll go go go above the head and we'll go to city hall. and we'll fight with the government so the government steps in and shut the building down we're reporting worldwide as countries talk of a pandemic on the way for you the debate across america as to what should be considered essential surgery as a row rages of states banning

be and just not fair and it's not right when the other side of this summer's insists it fired chris smalls after he did nord instructions to stay home for 14 days of the coming into contact with a colleague partly who'd tested positive but he claims it is more about amazon's bottom line. they notice that i was causing an uproar a stone island building that's one of the largest buildings in the tri state area army holds about 5000 people that's a lot of money that they make in their building a lot of money i'm effect in that i'm effect in the business by speaking out so they got rid of me privately souness me to terminate me to staff to move me but i see empowered me so they motivated me even more and i'm going to continue to fight like i said we're going to day more do it we'll go go go above the head and we'll go to city hall. and now we'll fight with the government so the government steps in and set the bill down. pharmaceutical firms around the world are now in a race to try to develop a covert 19 vaccine artes and to increase of ski's been finding out about efforts here in russia. but

sissified chris smalls often ignored instructions to stay home for 14 days for partly coming into contact with a colleague who tested positive but he claims it's more about amazon's bottom line . then notice that i was called in the uproar j.f.k. a staten island building that's one of the largest buildings in the tri state area holds about 5000 people that's a lot of money that they make in that building a lot of money i'm effect in that i'm effect in the business by speaking out so they got rid of me probably to silence me to terminate me to stop the movement but i see empowered me so they motivated me even more and i'm going to continue to fight like i say we're going to day won't do it we have global go above the head and we'll go to city hall. and we'll fight with the government and so the government steps in and shut the bill down. this is all it international will continuing to report would why does countries talk of a pound make it all the way the debate across america as to what should be considered essential surgery as a route rages over states butting abortions and blaming the p

endless workers at whole foods twisted sister company amazon are unhappy eve on monday employee chris smalls was abruptly fired after leaving a protest at the oxymoronic amazon fulfillment center in staten island he demanded that the facility be closed unsanitized after a coworker tested positive for covert 19 smalls called the firing retaliatory but amazon claims that he was violating social distancing guidelines now was worried his employers are about the coronavirus there's another scores on the american economy that they're even more determined to stomp out that's the spread of the labor union ization over a trader joe's in the past few months whispers about unionizing i've been walking through the air one with a sense of their fresh moose jerky granola clusters spritzed with lavender scented raw seaweed puree since corona some disgruntled members of the crew have created a petition demanding hazard pay and stronger virus precautions like permission to wear gloves seems like it would be in trader joe's best interest to let their workers not die from infectious diseases but according to t

insists fired chris smalls off to ignored instructions to stay home for 14 days off to possibly come into contact with a colleague who tested positive but he claims it's more about bottom line here. and knows that i was called an uproar j.f.k. a staten island building that's one of the largest buildings in the tri state area holds about 5000 people. that's a lot of money that they make in that building a lot of money i'm effect in that i'm effect in the business by speaking out so they got rid of me probably to silence me to terminate me to stop the movement but i see empowered me so they motivated me even more and i'm going to continue to fight like i say we're going to if they won't do it then we are global go above the head and we'll go to city hall. and we'll fight with the government and so the government steps in to shut the building down. it's quite possible the altitude here in moscow this is an international high that we're reporting worldwide as countries continue to tackle upon them that coming up the wall street's warning that the u.s. is staring at another mortgage crisi

want us to be and just not fair and it's not right on the other side of this i was insistent 5 chris smalls after he did nord instructions to stay home for 14 days after apparently coming into contact with a colleague who tested positive but he claims it's more about amazon's bottom line . i know is there i was called in the uproar a stand now in building that's one of the largest buildings in the tri state area holds about 5000 people. a lot of money that they make in their building a lot of money i'm effect in that i'm effect in the business by speaking out so they got rid of me trying to silence me to terminate me to stop the movement but i see empowered me so they motivated me even more and i'm going to continue to fight like i said we're going to a day won't do it we'll go ball go above the head and we'll go to city hall. and we'll fight with the government and so the government steps in and shut the building down pharmaceutical firms around the world and on a big race to try to develop 1000 vaccine. ski's been finding out about efforts happening here in russia. before you start coming

essential as they want us to be and just not fair and this is not right amazon insists it fired chris smalls of his ignored instructions to stay home for 14 days of the coming to coincide with a colleague who tested positive but he claims no he says it's more but bottom line . they notice that i was called an uproar j.f.k. stand island building that's the one of the largest buildings in the tri state area holds about 5000 people. a lot of money that they make in that building a lot of money i'm effect in that i'm affecting the business by speaking out so they got rid of me probably to silence me to terminate me to stop the movement but i see empowered me so they motivated me even more and i'm going to continue to fight like i say we're going to day won't do it we'll go both go above the head and we'll go to city hall. and we'll fight with the government and so the government steps in and shut the building down. on the side side of things pharmaceutical firms around the world and on a big rush to try to develop a covert 19 vaccine artes and talk resolve ski's been finding out about efforts he

be and just not fair and this is not right well the other side of this amazon insists it fired chris smalls after he did nord instructions to stay home for 14 days of for apparently coming into contact with a colleague who tested positive but all that said he claims it's more about bottom line. than those that i was called in the uproar will stand island building one of the largest buildings in the tri state area holds about 5000 people. a lot of money that they make in that building a lot of money i'm effect in that i'm affecting the business by speaking out so they got rid of me probably to silence me to terminate me to stop the movement but i see empowered me so they motivated me even more and i'm going to continue to fight like i say we're going to a day when. do it we're go go go above their head and we'll go to city hall. and we'll fight with the government so the government steps in to shut the building down. this is out international reporting world wide this country's talk of a pandemic of course wall street's warning now that the u.s. is staring of another mortgage crisis what tha

we saw amazon make headlines for firing a warehouse worker in stanton island new york as it was chris smalls and chris mauls remember this this guy organized a walkout saying that amazon was not protecting workers amazon fired him and then said oh it had nothing to do with that that walkout that he organized even though they fired him the same day they say it was because he was violating the social distancing rules and read to you the statement that amazon has made about this they said quote we had some instances of employees intentionally violating our clear guidelines on social distancing at our sites which in danger is what the individual and their colleagues we are taking intends measures to ensure the health and safety of employees across our sites who are performing in the central role role for their communities during this crisis what this looks like to me is that amazon messed up by firing this guy the same day who organized that walkout they said they did it for that reason and now they're trying to play a game that we would refer to as see why a in order to say no no it's not just

people are retaliated against or appear to --retaliated against coverede of course the firing of chris smallsng island by amazon. he says that was retaliation. amazon said it was about safety protocols. i have been looking at stories online about worker unrest. there are people out there saying, isn't there a line out the door? i wish companies were treating these people better but tony a lot of people need jobs? josh: that is why this is in many ways the best and worst time to be going on strike. leverage is that you do have millions of newly unemployed people who are potential replacement workers. at the same time, many of these jobs are not easy to slot a new person into. these are not easy jobs. they are jobs that many people watching on bloomberg would not want to be going into work to do, and they have been rechristened as essential work. a public spotlight on the workers who let these companies stay open, and on the need for the workers, whether it is producing food or goods. emily: ok. , really appreciate you continuing to cover these stories. coming up, we will take you into the onli

. >> reporter: chris smalls, among more than a dozen amazon employees to protest understand safe workday says the company isn't being forthcoming. what do your colleagues at this facility say? >> i mean, some people are afraid, but they still just "i need the money, i need the money." double time, it's blood money. >> reporter: as americans rely heavily on services that help live remotely, health concerns and fair pay are paramount for employees who feel more pressure than ever to deliver. >> we don't have face masks. we ran out of those weeks ago. the cleaning supplies that they claim they have all over the place, we don't have those either. >> we do not feel safe working there right now. we are actually part of the problem and not part of the solution. >> reporter: this amazon employee who asked that we only call her by her first name, rachel, sorts packages part time at the company's teterboro, new jersey, facility. >> blue -- >> blue -- >> reporter: rachel's a single mom and says she and her 1-year-old son have a history of respiratory issues. she tells us there were rumblings abo

. >> reporter: 31-year-old chris smalls worked his way up the company at amazon's staten island warehousemazon volunteer teaching kids how to code. then the coronavirus arrived at the facility. >> when did you first become concerned within you were working at amazon? >> late february, beginning of march, i noticed some of my employees around me began to fall ill in a domino effect. it was very alarming to me. so i decided to raise my concern through my local hr department. >> reporter: he said the response he got surprised him. >> their response was you know nonchalant. they said we're following safety guidelines. they understand my concerns. the tables in the cafeteria you were together. they were piling us on each other. >> reporter: he was urged to stay quiet even after an employee tested positive. >> they told us don't tell the employees. we don't want to start a panic. >> reporter: amazon says, when a covid-19 case is confirmed in one of our buildings, we communicate this news to all our individuals. >> he led a small group of co-workers to leave the building and demand better protec

inspired by the actions by the nurses in the bronx, amazon workers who walked out in solidarity with chris smalls who's facing retaliation for his organizing. amy: tre kwon, can you talk about the covid-19 frontline workers task force, what exactly it is, and can you respond to president trump repeatedly tweeting and speaking at his daily news conference suggesting that the hospitals and new york are hoarding equipment and ventilators while the mayor of new york city de blasio, says that new york city will run out of ventilators and just a few days -- in just a few days? >> we formed our task force over the last week when we e saw our demands were not being met. it is an interdisciplinary task force. residents, doctors, nurses. we invite all health care workers to form those kinds of worker-let assemblies and committees at their hospitals just as we were led by nurses. this initiative was totally planned by as for as. we invite the union leadership to take up these kinds of organizing and support it. -- wholeheartedly. trump saying we are hoarding supplies is absolutely absurdd will stop the hosp

when the small-business fund runs out of money, it will be up to congress to restock it. ruth's chrisd us in a statement that it and its nearly 30 franchisees will follow all of the regulations in the loan progra tmillion will go primarily to payroll. norah. >> o'donnell: all right, kris, thank you. tonight, the f.d.a. says it has atven emergency authorization to two new antibody tests that might detect whether a person is immune to the coronavirus. now in our series "racing to a cure" the innovative idea that's being tested in italy to use immunity passports for residents to return to work. here is chris livesay. vi reporter: in the fight against coronavirus, this may be the next frontier: testing blood for crucial antibodies that for crucial antibodies that n of immunity.n of immunity. it takes just 15 minutes to find it t ouif a patas antodies, has antie antibodies that could sa they show that a person has been exposed to the virus and is probably no longer in danger of getting sick or transmitting the disease. aow, with italy's economy under threat of collapse, after a month-long