Amazon Seeks to Block Proposal Calling for Greater Diversity in Hiring
Amazon has asked federal regulators to block a shareholder proposal from the AFL-CIO that would require the company to consider qualified women and non-white candidates for open positions in all roles. The labor union filed a resolution last month asking the Seattle-based commerce behemoth to adopt something akin to the NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” requiring that recruiters consider a diverse pool of new hire candidates. Citing Amazon’s self-reported demographic data, the union said the fact that Amazon’s highest-paid employees are overwhelmingly white men needs to change. “If you don’t have a diverse pipeline of talent, it could be hard to fulfill the roles of ensuring equity throughout the organization,” said AFL-CIO deputy director Brandon Rees. The union’s proposal, he said, “is not a silver bullet to ensuring equity, but we think it’s an important and useful tool.”