Mr. Bezos, Start Treating Your Workers With the Dignity and Respect They Deserve

By Bernie Sanders, Bernie Sanders' Facebook Page

03 April 21

et's be very clear: Amazon is not a poor company. It is not losing money.

This is a company that made a record-breaking $14 billion in profits. This is a company that is worth over $1.5 trillion – that’s trillion with a 'T.' This is a company that paid no federal income taxes in 2017 or 2018 and currently pays a lower federal income tax rate than teachers, truck drivers or nurses.

And this is a company that is owned by a man, Jeff Bezos, who has increased his wealth by $75 billion during this horrific pandemic while millions of Americans cannot afford to feed their families and veterans are sleeping out on the street.

What Mr. Bezos understands is that if workers in Alabama vote yes to form a union, Amazon will need to give those workers a raise. Amazon will need to give them better benefits. Amazon will need to make sure that they are able to receive longer breaks and can go to the bathroom without being monitored.

Well, my message to Mr. Bezos is this: Enough with the intimidation. Enough with the harassment. Enough with the coercion. Enough is enough. You cannot have it all. Start treating your workers with the respect and the dignity that they deserve. Give your workers a seat at the bargaining table. Give your workers the freedom to join a union.