- At the hearing, Bezos declined an invitation from Saunders to testify, but the senator laid down harsh words for him.
- Sanders was criticized by Amazon for countering Union Drive in Alabama despite the CEO’s record assets.
- The hearing includes the testimony of a pro-union worker at Amazon’s Bessemer warehouse.
- See more stories on Insider’s business page.
Sen. at the Wednesday morning hearing. Bernie Sanders, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, who declined an invitation to testify against Sanders, and two wealthy men spoke critically about Elon Musk.
“Bezos and Kasturi now own more than 40% of the assets below. In the meantime, we are seeing more hunger in America than at any time in decades,” Sanders said in his opening remarks at the budget committee hearing, which he titled. Income and wealth inequality crisis in America.
“If he were with us this morning, I’d ask him the following question … Mr. Bezos, you’re worth 2 182 billion – that’s B,” Sanders said. “One hundred and twenty-two billion dollars, you are the richest man in the world. Why are you doing everything in your power to stop your workers from joining the union in Besamar, Alabama?”
The unionization push, voted on Amazon’s Bessemer fulfillment center, is the focal point of a high-profile labor dispute between the “everything store” and the retail, wholesale and department store unions. Amazon has aggressively pushed its workers to vote against federalism by launching a campaign called “It’s With Other Deeds” to encourage workers to stick to the status quo.
Sanders pointed out the difference between Bezos’ wealth growth and the struggle of rank-and-file workers during the epidemic.
“Jeff Bezos has amassed a fortune of સમ 3 billion during this horrific epidemic, while thousands of workers at Amazon have been denied sick leave,” he said.
Jennifer Bates, a Bessemer warehouse employee who testified at Wednesday’s hearing, said the federal effort is “an attempt to get a level playing field.” Bates cited difficult working conditions, long hours and a lack of job security as the main drivers of the unionization effort.
“Amazon is accelerating the way it pays workers more than the minimum wage.” “What they don’t tell you is like the same jobs. And they definitely don’t tell you what they can afford.”
When asked what it means for him and his colleagues to have a union, Bates said the result would make their voices “expanded” and a “spirit of empowerment,” and not just Bessemer’s Amazon but the entire country. “
“We take the feedback from employees, including Mrs. Bates, seriously, but we are not confident that her comments represent more than 90% of her fulfillment center colleagues who say they would recommend Amazon as a great place for friends and family to work.” An Amazon spokesman told Insider. “We encourage people to talk to hundreds of thousands of Amazon employees who like their jobs, earn at least $ 15 an hour, enjoy comprehensive healthcare and paid leave benefits, prefer direct communication with their managers, and on Forbes. Amazon # 2 has the best vote list of employers in 2020. “
While much of the hearing was devoted to the Amazon federal fight, which will be decided in late March, Sanders said “Amazon and Jeff Bezos are not alone” and rejected “corporate greed” that fuels revenue inequality.
Others who testified at the hearing included former Labor Secretary Robert Reck, who said unions were important and that there had been a sharp decline in union membership since the mid-1900s.
Sanders has been a vocal critic of Amazon, while President Biden has taken a softer approach to Union Drive. In a statement in early March, Biden condemned the “anti-union propaganda” of large companies, but stopped naming Amazon.
