Tom Tangney: Reasoning behind former Amazon worker’s hunger strike is baffling

A former Amazon employee is reportedly planning to stage a hunger strike in front of the company’s Seattle offices beginning Tuesday. But not everyone really understands the reasoning behind it.

“The problem is his complaint seems so vague to me I can’t get behind the cause,” said KIRO Radio’s Tom Tangney.

“He is calling for the company to add three items to its fourteen leadership principles. It’s like arguing over a mission statement to me.”

According to The Guardian, former Amazon employee Kivin Varghese is in the midst of a legal battle with the company where he’s claiming wrongful discharge. He said he’s engaging in the hunger strike to raise awareness about what he calls poor business practices.

Tom said the items Varghese wants added to Amazon’s leadership principles seem to make sense, but he wonders if it really warrants a hunger strike.

“He wants better treatment of employees. I think most people would agree better treatment for employees, good idea. He wants to improve ethical standards. OK, I guess that is OK. Then finally, [he wants Amazon to] make decisions that are better for our environment. Why you would go on a hunger strike for such vague concepts is just baffling to me.”

Co-host John Curley asked whether there was any cause Tom would go on a hunger strike for.

“Maybe. But it would have to be pretty extreme,” Tom said.

In his case, Curley said it likely wouldn’t be a very effective means of protest. “I’d last about 40 minutes on a hunger strike.”

“I’m right there with you,” Tom said.