| Dear Friend, Amazon says it doesn’t have the money to pay its drivers more or provide safety measures in this 100+ degree heat. But you know what the corporation has apparently been able to afford? $14.2 million for anti-union consulting firms to destroy organizing nationwide.(1) That’s what Amazon spent in 2022 to stop workers’ rights. It’s totally outrageous, and we can’t let Amazon’s union busting win. Courage California has been working to support drivers and warehouse workers, and we have a huge opportunity to make a difference in the Bay Area -- Amazon has just announced it has relaunched its bid for a 650,000 square foot warehouse in San Francisco.(2) The San Francisco Board of Supervisors hasn’t approved the warehouse yet, so now is the time to extract commitments to worker protections and highlight Amazon’s union busting. With our help, Courage California members have sent thousands of letters to A.G. Bonta about Amazon, as well as reached more than 500,000 people through social media about the plight of Amazon workers. Now we’re going to leverage our reach into pressuring our representatives to stop Amazon’s worker abuses. Will you donate to Courage California and help stand up for Amazon workers?
It’s Hot Labor Summer, with thousands of workers across the nation demanding better working conditions. Perhaps none are as long-suffering or as ubiquitous as Amazon’s employees. For years, Amazon warehouse employees have been at the top of OSHA injury lists.(3) Drivers have been forced into subcontractor work. The Palmdale drivers were being paid $19 an hour in one of the nation’s most expensive areas, while being denied breaks and made to drive overheated vans with no air conditioning.(4) And when these workers have unionized to ask for humane conditions, Amazon has fired them. Nonetheless, workers and drivers in several other California warehouses have joined the call as well.(5) But Amazon is spending millions of dollars on anti-union consultants specifically to intimidate them.(6) Friend, the San Francisco warehouse gives us an opportunity to use people power to overcome Amazon’s money. The warehouse has already brought lots of controversy to the billion-dollar corporation -- the Supervisors put an 18-month moratorium on it because of its issues, and now that it’s running out, Amazon is more eager than ever to break ground. We are working with our coalition of Amazon labor groups to lobby the Supervisors and advertise Amazon’s worker abuses. This could be the summer that changes everything at Amazon -- with your help. Will you chip in? Thank you for standing with us, –Irene, along with Angela, Annie, Isidra, Jen, Sheena, and Lindsay (the Courage team)
PS: Courage California is fighting for equity and justice across the state and country. Will you become a monthly donor and help sustain our work? Donations go to support all of Courage California's work for a more progressive California and country. Follow us now on Facebook or Twitter! Footnotes:  |
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