Amazon is probing three engineers from its Amazon Employees for Climate Justice (AECJ) after they testified at Seattle city‑council hearings on AI data center expansion. The employees urged the council to impose renewable‑energy mandates and labor safeguards, and to pause the rush to build compute capacity before regulations catch up. Their testimony helped secure a one‑year moratorium.

The three engineers filed a complaint saying Amazon broke a Seattle ordinance that bars discrimination based on political ideology, race, religion or age. They say HR summoned them after the hearings, warning that an internal investigation could lead to discipline or termination. Amazon spokesperson Margaret Callahan replied the staff may have spoken as company representatives, not private citizens, and affirmed a no‑retaliation policy.

Seattle’s council voted to impose the year‑long moratorium, a win for the AECJ activists but also a flashpoint for corporate‑employee relations. Amazon previously dismissed climate organizer Emily Cunningham and former AECJ leader Maren Costa, later settling lawsuits and posting a notice that workers cannot be fired for organizing. The current probe underscores how tech firms police public advocacy by staff.