The unions and political leaders argue that constant pressure and scrutiny on Amazon employees, with little job protection, clarifies the need for negotiation.
Senator Bernie Sanders will speak in support of the Amazon.com, Inc. performance center employee union. outside the Retail, Wholesale and Retail Union (RWDSU) in Birmingham, Alabama on March 26, 2021. (AFP)
Senator Bernie Sanders has joined the campaign to unite Amazon employees in Alabama as tensions escalate between lawyers and the e-commerce giant ahead of a vote date which could be the first union on U.S. soil by the tech giant.
The tour with Sanders, along with actor Danny Glover and rapper “Killer Mike” Render, marks the latest high profile events in the controversial organizational effort for some 5,800 employees at Amazon’s upcoming Bessemer warehouse. until the end of next week.
“If Amazon employees in Alabama can get the upper hand in creating a union, it can be done across this country,” said Sanders, who was a loyal presidential candidate following among promoters.
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The months-long initiative led by the Union of Retail, Wholesale and Department Store has sparked national attention and intense debate about the state of the workplace at Amazon, which has more than 800,000 U.S. employees .
Amazon has argued that most of its employees do not want or need a union, and that it already offers less than $ 15 an hour wage and other benefits to it more than most other employers.
Dave Clark, Amazon’s consumer business leader, said the company is delivering on Sanders goals.
“I often say we are Bernie Sanders of employers, but that’s not entirely correct because we deliver a progressive workplace,” Clark tweeted.
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Pressure, inspection
But unions and political leaders have argued that constant pressure and scrutiny on Amazon employees, with little job protection, clarifies the need for negotiation.
RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum said the controversy “over the unregulated technologies that Amazon uses to track the movements of all of its employees, includes the time they spend in the restroom … and, more importantly, about the lack of respect, respect and just the treatment of too many Americans experiencing at work. “
Sanders and others say the Amazon battle underscores growing economic inequality at a time when billionaires, such as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, have seen their wealth grow through Pandemic.
“All I want to know is why the richest man in the world, Jeff Bezos, is spending millions trying to stop workers from hiring union so that they can negotiate for better pay, benefits and working conditions, “Sanders tweeted ahead of his trip.
Speaking to reporters after speaking to Amazon employees, Sanders said he gave Amazon credit for raising his minimum wage to $ 15 an hour.
“But right now, they are nervous that if workers here succeed it will spread across this country,” he said.
“But everyone here should know that Amazon, in Europe, is dealing with unions. So they are as hell sure that they can deal with a union in the US,” Sanders said.
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3/3 So if you want to hear about $ 15 an hour and health care, Senator Sanders is speaking in downtown. But if you want to make at least $ 15 an hour and have good health care, Amazon hires.
– Dave Clark (@davehclark) March 24, 2021
Tensions have escalated as Amazon has fired back against criticism from lawyers and others.
“If you want to hear about $ 15 an hour and health care, Senator Sanders will be speaking in downtown,” Clark tweeted, while revealing, in the state of Sanders in Vermont, that it’s just $ 11.75 minimum hourly wage.
“But if you want to make at least $ 15 an hour and have good health care, Amazon hires.”
Representative Mark Pocan from Wisconsin responded to Amazon “Paying $ 15 / hr to employees doesn’t make you a ‘progressive workplace’ when you’re in a union and taking on workers urinate in bottled water. “
Amazon fired back: “You don’t really believe the peeing thing in bottles, do you? If that were true, no one would work for us.”
By paying employees $ 15 / hr you will not be a “progressive workplace” when you engage in a union and force employees to urinate in bottled water. https://t.co/CnFTtTKA9q
– Producer Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) March 25, 2021
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At the same time the tech giant escalated unrest with General Elizabeth Warren, who accused Amazon of not evading taxes.
“You make @SenWarren tax laws; we just follow them,” Amazon said on Twitter. “Amazon has paid billions of dollars in corporation taxes over the past few years alone.”
Warren hit back with a brutal tweet at the company.
“I didn’t write the gaps you’re taking advantage of, @amazon – your forces of lawyers and lobbyists did,” she wrote.
“But you bet I’ll fight to make you pay your fair share. And fight your alliances. And fight to break up Big Tech so you won’t be powerful enough to hear seniors with tweets snotty. “
This is amazing and amazing. One of the most powerful politicians in the United States has said that she is going to break an American company so that they can no longer criticize her. https://t.co/Nt0wcZo17g
– Amazon News (@amazonnews) March 26, 2021
Source: AFP