Amazon must pay more tax, protect environment and boost wages, say politicians
More than 400 legislators from 34 countries, spanning all six continents, have signed a letter demanding that Amazon take action to change the company’s policies to better protect workers and the environment.
The message, which is addressed to chief executive Jeff Bezos, says the world knows that Amazon can afford to pay its workers, its taxes and its environmental costs, but that the company has dodged and dismissed its debts to workers, societies and the planet.
The signatories point towards the 25 “Common Demands” that the group say Amazon should implement to improve. These include raising workers’ pay in all Amazon warehouses in line with the increasing wealth of the corporation, including hazard pay; committing to zero emissions by 2030; and guaranteeing transparency over the privacy and use of consumers’ data.
The letter was signed by a number of MPs in the UK – including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott, John McDonnell, Nadia Whittome, Zarah Sultana – as well as Sein Fein MPs.
US congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, Turkey’s HDP spokesperson Ebru Günay, leader of France’s France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of Greek party MeRA25 Yanis Varoufakis, and European Parliament vice president Heidi Hautala also added their names.
The letter points out that Mr Bezos’s wealth increased dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, during which millions of people lost their jobs.
At the same time, Amazon has been criticised for its actions against its staff, which the letter claimed worked in dangerous conditions, had received little or no increase in pay and faced retaliation for efforts to defend themselves and organise their colleagues.
A recent report from Amnesty International claimed the shopping giant had used surveillance technologies to track its workers and had not taken enough steps to protect workers.
Amazon caused controversy over its treatment of Christian Smalls, who said he was fired for raising concerns about staff falling sick yet was ignored.
In May, Amazon vice president Tim Bray resigned in response to the company sacking Covid-19 whistleblowers and protesters.
Amazon has also reportedly been “secretly” monitoring and analysing Amazon Flex drivers’ private Facebook groups from September 2020, as well as heatmaps in Whole Food stores – which is owned by Amazon – to track which stores might unionise.
Recently, Amazon’s Global Security Operations Centre was also found to be receiving updates on labourorganising activities at warehouses. These details include the exact date, time and location of a report, and the source who reported the action, and the number of participants at an event.
“Like any other responsible business, we maintain a level of security within our operations to help keep our employees, buildings, and inventory safe,” Amazon said in response.
The letter also claimed that Amazon’s carbon footprint was greater than two-thirds of the world’s countries. The shopping giant’s carbon footprint did increase by 15 per cent last year, despite the company’s apparent efforts to alleviate its impact.
Amazon’s greenhouse gas emissions were about 85 per cent of the emissions of Switzerland or Denmark, according to Gregg Marland, a professor at the Research Institute for Environment, Energy and Economics at Appalachian State University.
“[Mr Bezos’] plan for emissions reduction is both insufficient to stay within the environmental boundaries of our planet and difficult to trust given Amazon’s record of broken promises on sustainability and financial contributions to climate change denial,” the letter states.
“Your monopolistic practices have squeezed small businesses, your web services have disrespected data rights, and you have contributed a pittance in return.”
The letter also highlights the fact that Amazon paid no US federal taxes in 2018 and 2019. “Through your global tax dodging, you damage the public provision of health, education, housing, social security and infrastructure.”