Senate Finances Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders on Thursday slammed Amazon and its chairman at a listening to on the company’s labor practices as he pushed the White Dwelling to end government contracts for the retailer.
“Amazon has accomplished all the things probable — authorized and illegal — to defeat union arranging initiatives,” Sanders mentioned. He addressed Amazon Chairman Jeff Bezos, who had been invited to testify but did not seem.
“Given all your wealth, how substantially do you will need? Why are you undertaking every little thing in your electrical power, which includes breaking the legislation, to deny Amazon workers the proper to be a part of a union so that they can negotiate for superior wages, much better functioning disorders and far better positive aspects?” Sanders questioned. “How much do you need to have?”
Amazon did not right away react to a ask for for comment.
The committee is hearing testimony from numerous folks like Christian Smalls, who heads the Amazon Labor Union.
Smalls backed Sanders’ force for the White Property to conclusion federal contracts to businesses like Amazon that are accused of unfair labor practices.
“We simply cannot allow Amazon or any other employer to receive taxpayer cash if they engage in illegal union-busting behavior and deny workers’ legal rights,” Smalls claimed in prepared testimony. “We can not present federal contracts to these businesses. We can not let them to obtain taxpayer subsidies from our point out and community governments.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top rated Republican on the panel, criticized Sanders for singling out Amazon. “This is an exertion to get an outcome you want using the United States Senate as your motor vehicle. This is extremely risky. You can have oversight hearings how you like but you determine Amazon is a piece of crap firm. That is your political bias,” Graham reported.
Also testifying were being Teamsters Basic President Sean O’Brien and Greg LeRoy, govt director of Very good Work Initially.
Afterwards in the working day, Vice President Kamala Harris will host a White Property conference with Smalls and labor leaders trying to get to depict employees at Amazon, Starbucks and other employers.
Last week, Sanders urged President Joe Biden to challenge an govt order slicing off federal contracts to Amazon, declaring the on-line retailer “has grow to be the poster kid for unlawful anti-union conduct even though raking in billions in federal contracts.”
Workers at an Amazon warehouse in New York City just lately voted to variety the 1st union at the second-largest US private employer and join the Amazon Labor Union beneath the management of Smalls, a former worker who has argued for larger spend and work safety.
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