Rev. Jesse Jackson Calls on Amazon to Release Work Force Diversity Numbers

March for peace: Rev. Jesse Jackson walks with protesters down the street Friday where Michael Brown was killed by police nearly a week ago in Ferguson, Missouri

Rev. Jesse Jackson is calling on Amazon.com to release its work force diversity numbers.

The Seattle technology giant is one of the lone holdouts among major technology companies.

Google, Facebook, Twitter and other leading Silicon Valley companies have publicly disclosed the racial and gender breakdown of employees in recent months.

The reports have shown what many have long suspected, that the technology industry is overwhelmingly white, Asian and male.

Jackson said he telephoned CEO Jeff Bezos on Tuesday to reiterate his appeal that Amazon.com release its numbers.

Jackson first asked Amazon to publicly disclose its diversity statistics in a letter to Bezos in May. “I urge you to voluntarily and publicly disclose your EEO-1 report and the racial and gender makeup of your workforce in an expeditious manner,” Jackson wrote.

The Rainbow Push Coalition will respond with an “action” if Amazon.com does not release the information, Jackson said in an interview Tuesday.

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SOURCE: USA Today
Jessica Guynn