US Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) has announced a Senate investigation into the “dangerous and illegal conditions” at Amazon facilities. In a letter sent to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on Tuesday, Sanders accused the company of treating workers as “disposable” and prioritizing its bottom line over worker safety.
Sanders, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), called on Amazon to stop violating workplace safety laws and make changes to protect the health and safety of its workers. The investigation comes as part of ongoing efforts by the US government to hold Amazon accountable for its labor practices.
According to Sanders, Amazon is one of the “most dangerous” places to work in America, with monitoring techniques that pressure and intimidate workers to work at an unsustainable pace. In 2022 alone, there were nearly 39,000 injuries reported at Amazon warehouses. An investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) earlier this year found unsafe working conditions in warehouses in Colorado, Idaho, and New York.
Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker stated that Amazon’s operating methods are creating hazardous work conditions and leading to serious worker injuries. Despite the company’s soaring profits during the pandemic, it has also faced significant layoffs, offboarding around 16,000 employees this year.
The HELP committee is requesting information from Amazon regarding the higher-than-average injury rates at its facilities and how the use of robotic equipment may contribute to workplace injuries. The committee is also seeking documents related to turnover rates, available labor, communications about hazards, audits, and reviews given to executives, as well as the number of calls received by Amazon’s physician hotline. Amazon has until July 5th to comply with the request.
To aid the investigation, the committee has created a website for Amazon workers to share their experiences and provide confidential information.
Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly confirmed that the company had received Sanders’ letter and is currently reviewing it.
Sanders has long been a critic of major corporations and their treatment of workers. As chair of the HELP committee, he has previously called out Starbucks for its alleged anti-union campaign.
In a tweet, Sanders stated that the HELP committee will ensure that CEOs and billionaires cannot have it all and that the economy must work for working people, not just those at the top.
