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Dear John,
The Amazon Labor Union won its first union election ever in the U.S., and workers at nearly 300 Starbucks stores in 37 states have voted to unionize. A resurgent American labor movement is being spearheaded by folks who work at Starbucks and Amazon.
After Starbucks was busted by the National Labor Relation Board (NLRB) for their unprecedented campaign against workers, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz was subpoenaed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, chaired by Senator Bernie Sanders, to testify about illegal union-busting activities.
Right before he testified, Schultz stepped down from his role as CEO, signaling exactly how worried Starbucks was about the Senate hearing.
Now it’s Jeff Bezos’ turn. Together with recently-installed Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Jeff Bezos, Executive Chairman of Amazon, must also be held accountable by the HELP Committee for Amazon’s intensive union-busting practices.
So far, the Amazon Labor Union has filed over 400 unfair labor practice complaints against Amazon with the NLRB. Amazon has spent over a million dollars to fight the union, firing organizers in other warehouses, blanketing workers with anti-union propaganda, and having organizers arrested while legally organizing workers at a public bus stop.
It’s time to get Bezos and Jassy under oath. Sign the petition asking Chairman Bernie Sanders to subpoena Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy to testify about their union-busting activities now!
Amazon is one of the biggest companies in the world, with net revenues last year over $500 billion, and Bezos himself is one of the richest man in the world -- yet Amazon’s essential warehouse workers suffer unsafe and abusive conditions.
Instead of investing in its workers, Amazon chooses to invest its massive profits in purchasing new companies to further expand its market domination.
We need to hear from Bezos and Jassy about the illegal firings and intimidation campaigns conducted by Amazon as they have attempted to thwart union organization efforts across the country.
Like Starbucks, Amazon has repeatedly been found guilty of violating labor laws. They are doing everything they can to stop the momentum of the Amazon Labor Union. Putting Jeff Bezos on the witness stand would be a major step forward in highlighting these abuses -- and potentially finally making them stop.
The Senate committee’s subpoena power is an important tool in the fight to bring to light corporate abuses and illegal suppression of worker initiatives and let’s be clear: Jeff Bezos is not going to testify without a subpoena. Encourage HELP Committee Chair Bernie Sanders to utilize this powerful tool and subpoena Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy by adding your name now.
Organizing momentum is building beyond just Amazon and Starbucks workers.
After decades of stagnation, the American labor movement is once again on the move, gathering the energies of workers at Home Depot, Apple, Trader Joe’s, Chipotle, and others.
But without congressional action holding Amazon accountable, that momentum could be stopped in its tracks. That’s why we must stand in solidarity with the Amazon Labor Union now.
Together let’s work to help improve workers’ lives.
Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action
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