John,
This past Friday, the National Labor Relations Board announced that the Amazon workers of Bessemer, Alabama voted against joining the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.
The unfortunate truth is that our capitalist society has been built on inhumanity and profit-driven decisions at the expense of the health and safety of workers. And we know that Amazon used its massively inflated budget to invest in union-busting tactics to dissuade workers from coming together.
Last month, I joined Reps. Cori Bush, Andy Levin, Terri Sewell, and Nikema Williams in Bessemer, Alabama to stand in solidarity with the Amazon workers who are still fighting for a voice and better conditions in their workplace.
Workers have been denied rest and bathroom breaks and have suffered serious injury due to ruthless timed productivity quotas. When workers at the Bessemer Amazon facility contracted COVID-19, the company was more focused on getting workers back on the floor than the safety and health of their employees. Meanwhile, Amazon's profits have almost doubled since the start of the pandemic.
We know that Amazon went to great lengths to dissuade workers from unionizing because they rely on endless exploitation and abuse of its labor force — and a successful union would be a threat to its business model. Amazon has created a plantation-style work environment that's abusive. This needs to end; we need employers and leadership to treat workers like human beings, not disposable robots.
Our fight for racial and economic justice is not over, John. Our work to bring critical protections such as hazard pay, a livable wage, health care, and more to workers all across the country continues on. If you're with us in this fight, please show support for these Alabama Amazon workers and make a contribution to the Southern Workers Assembly so they can continue fighting and advocating for this much-needed change.
Thank you for fighting with me,
Jamaal Bowman
