Petition to Congress:
"Stop subsidizing billionaires like Jeff Bezos and the Walton family. Support Sen. Sanders' new bill to force big employers to either pay a living wage or be taxed the cost of the public assistance their underpaid workers must rely upon to survive. "
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Donald Trump routinely tweets about Amazon and its billionaire founder, Jeff Bezos, but the company stays silent.
But when Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized the company for its poor wages and dangerous working conditions, the company issued a rare statement in response.1
Sen. Sanders angered company executives by pointing out that Amazon, like other big employers, pays so little that many workers turn to public assistance to survive. But he isn't just critiquing their practices, he is trying to end them.2
Sen. Sanders' proposal to force companies to pay a living wage deserves our full-throated support.
Amazon made $3.03 billion last year and Bezos saw his personal wealth increase from $99 to $157 billion. The company is so profitable because it shortchanges suppliers, uses its massive market monopoly power to undercut entire industries and local businesses, and pays its workers so little. Meanwhile, taxpayers essentially subsidize low-wage employers like Amazon with $150 billion each year in public benefits for their low-income workers.3
In order to survive and take care of their families, between 1 in 3 and 1 in 10 Amazon employees, depending on the state, must turn to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps. Some employees unfairly designated as "contractors" may earn even less. On top of it all, Amazon warehouses rank among the most dangerous and a number of workers have died on the job. The situation is similar for workers at Walmart and most of America's biggest and most profitable employers.4
Sen. Sanders' idea is simple: Either these billionaire companies start paying their workers a living wage – or the government will tax them the exact cost of taking care of their employees. So if a worker would starve or lose housing without that $500 per month in help from the American people, Amazon must pay $500. That's a pro-worker proposal that needs our support.
Click the link below to sign the petition.
https://act.credoaction.com/sign/sanders_amazon?t=7&akid=29927%2E3130208%2EO6GDBL
- Josh Nelson, CREDO Action from Working Assets
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References:
More information:
Data from states shows thousands of Amazon employees are on food stamps - Business Insider Read Bernie's statement |
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