ACTION ON AMAZON: IT’S TIME FOR A ‘NEW DEAL’ FOR AMAZON WORKERS!
WHAT IS ACTION ON AMAZON?
Action on Amazon is a coalition formed by Unite the Union to work with Amazon workers to get them a better deal, including a union and a voice on the job.
WHAT DOES AMAZON DO TO PREVENT WORKERS JOINING A UNION?
There are many reports of Amazon intimidating and forcing workers to attend anti-union propaganda meetings. It even uses ex-FBI agents and the notorious firm Pinkerton to spy on its own employees.
IS IT NORMAL FOR A COMPANY LIKE AMAZON TO BE SO ANTI-UNION?
No! Freedom of association – the right of all workers to a collective voice – is recognised by most of the biggest names in retail in this country. Many companies – unlike Amazon – sign up to international bodies such as the United Nations Global Compact and the Ethical Trading Initiative, which promote and defend this freedom. Even President Biden says Amazon should let its workers join a union.
CAN AMAZON AFFORD TO PAY FOR THE DEMANDS OF ITS WORKERS?
Yes – Amazon nearly doubled its profits last year to $21 billion and is sitting on a huge cash pile worth $42.1bn. Jeff Bezos, the main shareholder, is the world’s richest man. He made so much money out of Amazon during the Covid-19 crisis that he could give over $100,000 to every Amazon employee and still have as much wealth as he did-pre pandemic. Instead he has been putting billions of dollars into “space colonisation” projects.
DO AMAZON WORKERS NEED A UNION?
Yes – concerns include mandatory overtime, intense surveillance, break-neck production targets and much more besides. The only way to ensure that Amazon workers have a voice and can stand up against injustice is for them to join together in a union.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT IF I DON’T WORK FOR AMAZON?
If we let Amazon become a cheer-leader for bad employment practices and union busting it will end up dragging down standards for all workers.
SO WHAT DOES ACTION ON AMAZON WANT?
We want Amazon to sign our declaration of neutrality that guarantees workers the freedom to talk with and form unions without fear of retribution.
Unite Executive Officer Sharon Graham has written to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos demanding neutrality. Read the letter here.
WORK FOR AMAZON?
If you work for Amazon – directly, as a contractor or through an agency, you can contact our confidential Amazon Worker Hotline here.
YOU CAN HELP. TAKE ACTION NOW
The matters reported as factual are the opinion and views of Unite which have been reached after reasonable and thorough consideration and research.