Technology

The NLRB is suing Amazon to get a fired activist his job back

Published

2 years ago

March 18, 2022

Amazon is dealing with a lawsuit in federal court docket from the Nationwide Labor Relations Board. The watchdog has requested a choose to concern an injunction forcing Amazon to provide labor activist Gerald Bryson his job again. Amazon fired Bryson in April 2020, in what the NLRB says is a transparent case of Amazon retaliating towards him for protesting unsafe working circumstances at its JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island, NY.

In line with the NLRB, the Part 10(j) injunction it’s pursuing is meant to quickly make a state of affairs proper when the court docket case might take too lengthy to repair the alleged concern. On this case, Bryson has been preventing to get his job again for nearly two years, based on The New York Occasions. The NLRB petition (which you’ll learn in full under) argues that different staff could also be afraid to talk out if Bryson isn’t reinstated, because it views Bryson’s firing as a message from Amazon to its employees. That’s particularly related now, as employees on the JFK8 warehouse are voting on unionization beginning subsequent Friday, March twenty fifth.

In a press release emailed to The Verge, NLRB Regional Director Kathy Drew King mentioned:

We’re looking for an injunction in District Courtroom to right away reinstate a employee that Amazon illegally fired for exercising his Part 7 rights. We’re additionally asking the Courtroom to order a compulsory assembly at JFK8 with all staff at which Amazon will learn a discover of staff’ rights below the Nationwide Labor Relations Act. Regardless of how giant the employer, it’s important for employees to know their rights—significantly throughout a union election—and that the NLRB will vociferously defend them.

Amazon didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

For Bryson, the method has been irritating. In a dialog with The Verge, he mentioned that the techniques for preventing again towards giant firms like Amazon are outdated and have to be rebuilt — “these locations have been made for little folks to struggle in, however we are able to’t. It’s like we’re advised ‘hey, right here’s a boxing ring, however you gained’t get any gloves.’” He additionally mentioned that he had been pissed off seeing Amazon settle different instances introduced by staff whereas his dragged on.

“This isn’t a court docket case with any individual suing for me; that is my life,” he mentioned, speaking about his struggles coping with being out of labor as a single father. Regardless of that frustration, Bryson says he’s “preventing till the top. And hoping to make a change for different folks” that work at Amazon.

Bryson says he’s one of many leaders of the Amazon Labor Union, the group main unionization efforts on the JFK8 warehouse the place Bryson used to work. The ALU can also be concerned in efforts at one other Amazon Staten Island facility, LDJ5, the place organizers have obtained the go-ahead to proceed unionization efforts. The method of deciding election particulars is ongoing. The union is headed by Christian Smalls, one other employee fired by Amazon.

In line with The New York Occasions, Amazon has mentioned it fired Bryson after he bought right into a heated shouting match with one other warehouse worker whereas attending a protest, which the corporate says was a transparent case of bullying and intimidation.

Bryson says that the corporate has a zero-tolerance coverage for fights, which means that if two staff are in a struggle, its coverage is to fireplace each of them. He additionally denies beginning the argument and says he’s submitted video proof proving that to the court docket.

Bryson was “the general public face of the organizing motion for improved COVID-19 well being and security practices on the JFK8 Facility” earlier than Amazon fired him, based on the NLRB’s petition. The corporate confronted heavy criticism from employees for the way it dealt with the pandemic at JFK8 and comparable services, and the New York Lawyer Basic filed a lawsuit final 12 months, alleging that the corporate didn’t shield its employees from COVID.

Amazon has confronted different fits from the NLRB about its actions at its Staten Island services throughout unionization efforts. In a criticism issued earlier this 12 months, the labor watchdog accused the corporate of “threatening, surveilling, and interrogating” staff. The criticism alleged that safety personnel on the warehouses confiscated union supplies from organizers, the corporate known as organizers “thugs,” and that it promised to unravel staff’ points itself in the event that they rejected unionization efforts.

In December, the NLRB reached a settlement with Amazon that required the corporate to inform employees of their rights to arrange by way of emails, a message on an inside app and web site, and bodily posted indicators. Whereas these notifications have been a step ahead, the all-hands assembly the NLRB is proposing (which might additionally contain posting written notices) would probably be considerably extra attention-grabbing for workers. Within the settlement, Amazon additionally agreed to let staff manage on firm property outdoors of their shift time, one thing they have been reportedly not allowed to do earlier than.

Technology

Apple’s next AirTag could arrive in 2025

Published

6 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

Apple’s next AirTag could arrive in 2025

You may not have even thought about replacing your AirTag yet, but Bloomberg reports that Apple is working on a new one that could arrive in mid-2025. The new AirTag will reportedly feature an updated chip with better location tracking — an improvement it might need as competition among tracking devices ramps up.

By the time Apple rolls out its refreshed AirTag, the Bluetooth tracking landscape will look a lot different on both Android and iOS. Last month, Google revealed its new Find My Device network, which lets users locate their phones using signals from nearby Android devices. Even Life360, the safety service company that owns Tile, is creating its own location-tracking network that uses satellites to locate its Bluetooth tags.

In last week’s iOS 17.5 update, Apple finally started letting iPhones show unwanted tracking alerts for third-party Bluetooth tags. If an unknown AirTag or other third-party tracker is found with an iPhone user, they’ll get an alert and can play a sound to locate it. The feature is part of an industry specification created to prevent stalking across iPhones and Android devices. Several companies that make Bluetooth tracking devices, including Chipolo, Pebblebee, and Eufy are on board with the new standard.

Technology

How to connect your AirPods to your iPhone, iPad the easy way

Published

7 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

How to connect your AirPods to your iPhone, iPad the easy way

While the sonic quality of the AirPods certainly works across most devices with a Bluetooth connection, the real magic and a plethora of useful features really shine when you connect AirPods with other Apple devices. If you use the same Apple ID across all your Apple devices, you can really take advantage of the seamless auto-connect features.

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A woman listening to her AirPods (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How to connect your AirPods to your iPhone

Before you start, make sure you’ve installed the latest version of iOS on your iPhone and be sure your AirPods are charged and in their case. If you’ve already connected your AirPods to your iPhone, it should connect automatically if you are signed in with the same Apple ID you used to sign onto your Mac. If not, here’s how to connect them to your iPhone.

Unlock your iPhone and go to Settings
Scroll down and tap Bluetooth, then turn on Bluetooth (if it isn’t already on)
The toggle next to Bluetooth should be green, not grayed out.

Steps to connect your AirPods to your iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Now, grab your AirPods case with the AirPods inside, then hold it next to your iPhone with the case top open.

Steps to connect your AirPods to your iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

At this point, a setup animation will show up on your iPhone screen.
Tap Connect and you should be ready to listen.

Steps to connect your AirPods to your iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: 8 INCREDIBLY USEFUL THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH AIRPODS

How to connect your AirPods to your iPad

Before you start, make sure you’ve installed the latest version of iOS on your iPhone and be sure your AirPods are charged and in their case. If you’ve connected your AirPods to your iPad already, it should connect automatically if you are signed in with the same Apple ID you used to sign onto your Mac. If not, here’s how to connect them to your iPad.

Open up your iPad and go to Settings.

Steps to connect your AirPods to your iPad (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

From Settings, scroll down and tap Bluetooth.

Steps to connect your AirPods to your iPad (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Then, tap the button on the right once so that it turns green.

Steps to connect your AirPods to your iPad (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Keep your iPad open to this screen and take out your AirPods.

Steps to connect your AirPods to your iPad (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

From here, a setup animation will appear on the iPad. Tap Connect.

Steps to connect your AirPods to your iPad (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Your AirPods should appear under the list of available devices in your Bluetooth settings on the iPad. Now tap your AirPods, and there you go.

Steps to connect your AirPods to your iPad (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

In a nutshell, AirPods are popular because they’ve got great performance, reliability and are easy to use, especially if you’ve already got other Apple products in your life. They just get you, you know? They move between your iPad to your iPhone without a hitch – it’s like they’ve got a mind of their own. And setting them up is super simple. It’s like tap, tap, boom – you’re connected.

In what ways do you think the AirPods’ features could be further enhanced when paired with Apple devices? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Two students find security bug that could let millions do laundry for free

Published

13 hours ago

May 20, 2024

Press Room

Two students find security bug that could let millions do laundry for free

A security lapse could let millions of college students do free laundry, thanks to one company. That’s because of a vulnerability that two University of California, Santa Cruz students found in internet-connected washing machines in commercial use in several countries, according to TechCrunch.

The two students, Alexander Sherbrooke and Iakov Taranenko, apparently exploited an API for the machines’ app to do things like remotely command them to work without payment and update a laundry account to show it had millions of dollars in it. The company that owns the machines, CSC ServiceWorks, claims to have more than a million laundry and vending machines in service at colleges, multi-housing communities, laundromats, and more in the US, Canada, and Europe.

CSC never responded when Sherbrooke and Taranenko reported the vulnerability via emails and a phone call in January, TechCrunch writes. Despite that, the students told the outlet that the company “quietly wiped out” their false millions after they contacted it.

The lack of response led them to tell others about their findings. That includes that the company has a published list of commands, which the two told TechCrunch enables connecting to all of CSC’s network-connected laundry machines. CSC ServiceWorks didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

CSC’s vulnerability is a good reminder that the security situation with the internet of things still isn’t sorted out. For the exploit the students found, maybe CSC shoulders the risk, but in other cases, lax cybersecurity practices have made it possible for hackers or company contractors to view strangers’ security camera footage or gain access to smart plugs.

Often, security researchers find these security holes and report them before they can be exploited in the wild. But that’s not helpful if the company responsible for them doesn’t respond.