KEY POINTS
  • Amazon confirmed to CNBC that it fired Chris Smalls, a warehouse worker who organized a strike at its Staten Island facility on Monday.
  • The company said it fired Smalls after he "received multiple warnings for violating social distancing guidelines."
  • Smalls and other employees walked out to call attention to the lack of protective measures for workers. They're also urging Amazon to close the facility after a worker tested positive for the coronavirus. Organizers put the number of strikers around 50, while Amazon said it was less than 15.

Amazon has fired a Staten Island warehouse worker who organized a strike to demand greater protections for employees amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Chris Smalls, a management assistant at the facility, known as JFK8, said he was fired Monday afternoon following the strike. Smalls and other employees walked out to call attention to the lack of protections for warehouse workers. The workers are also urging Amazon to close the facility after a worker tested positive for the coronavirus last week. The organizers said that at least 50 people joined the walkout.