Ocasio-Cortez criticizes Amazon's Bezos for paying workers 'starvation wages'

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Matthew Kazin | FOXBusiness




Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday criticized Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' status as a billionaire, saying the way the businessman may have attained his status as the world's richest man could, in part, be a result of paying workers “starvation wages” and limiting their ability to access health care benefits.

“When you have a very large workforce and you underpay every single person and then you also participate in taking billions of dollars of government subsidies, that could be part of it,” Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, regarding how she believes Bezos attained his wealth.

Ocasio-Cortez has criticized the wealth status of the top earners in the U.S. previously, agreeing in January that a system that allows for billionaires is immoral, though noting that not all billionaires themselves are immoral.

“Whether Jeff Bezos is a billionaire or not is less of my concern than if your average Amazon worker is making a living wage, if they have guaranteed health care and if they can send their kids to college tuition-free,” she said Sunday. “And if that’s the case, and Jeff Bezos is still a billionaire, that’s one thing.”

It’s not the first time the freshman congresswoman has criticized Bezos or Amazon, the e-commerce giant he founded in 1994. Arguably the most notable incident was Ocasio-Cortez’s disapproval of Amazon building a second headquarters in New York City. The company, which was considering building its “HQ2” in the Long Island City neighborhood of the Queens borough, canceled its plans after facing fierce opposition from some residents and lawmakers, including Ocasio-Cortez.

“When you actually try to extract the details of this deal, all of a sudden the math got really fuzzy and it felt, to the community, that the details were falling apart,” Ocasio-Cortez told Fox News in February Opens a New Window. .

Concerns were also triggered by the tax breaks and subsidies Amazon – one of the world’s most valuable companies by market cap – would be given for building its second headquarters in New York. Last year, Amazon did not pay a single dollar in federal income taxes despite nearly doubling its profit from 2017 ($5.6 billion to $11.2 billion), according to a report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

“If he’s willing to give up all of his government subsidies, if we’re willing to charge fair taxes, if we’re willing to pay people a living wage, send people to college tuition-free, guarantee everyone health care and he’s still a billionaire, then that’s a fight we can have another day,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

An Amazon spokesperson respond to the congresswoman's comments, saying:

“These allegations are absurd. Amazon associates receive industry-leading pay starting at $15 an hour – in fact, hourly associates at our Staten Island facility earn between $17.30 and $23 an hour, plus benefits which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance. On top of these benefits, Amazon pre-pays 95% of continuing education tuition costs through its Career Choice program for associates who want to pursue in-demand careers. For anyone who wants to know what it's like to work in an Amazon fulfillment center, sign up for a tour today."

[DemonGeminiX]

She's a fucking idiot. Good job, NY.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

She's a fucking idiot. Good job, NY.

She whines that the minimum wage needs to be $15/hour. Amazon's starting pay for employees is $15/hour. But because it's Amazon, that $15/hour is now a "starvation wage".

[DemonGeminiX]

You can't negotiate with these people. If you give in to one demand then they up the ante without giving anything in return.

If Amazon people are making $15/hr and starving, then they're living way beyond their means.

[RBP]

She said a lot of really stupid shit in that interview.

[Hal-9000]

She whines that the minimum wage needs to be $15/hour. Amazon's starting pay for employees is $15/hour. But because it's Amazon, that $15/hour is now a "starvation wage".

They opened a large warehouse outside of our city before Christmas and advertised - 15/hour, instant benefits and immediate hiring if you bring your resume.

For some in this city it was a godsend. For others not so much because up here it's pretty hard to live on 15/hour.

Crappy apartments are 1500/mo at least, food and services are about 10-30% more expensive than the US, so after rent, food, gas etc...less than 2000 per month isn't much of a wage.

It was seasonal and I considered it, but was told on the phone it couldn't be used as an entry point to other jobs in the company. Something an employer rarely admits unless they're hiring for seasonal only scut-work, which they were.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

They opened a large warehouse outside of our city before Christmas and advertised - 15/hour, instant benefits and immediate hiring if you bring your resume.

For some in this city it was a godsend. For others not so much because up here it's pretty hard to live on 15/hour.

Crappy apartments are 1500/mo at least, food and services are about 10-30% more expensive than the US, so after rent, food, gas etc...less than 2000 per month isn't much of a wage.

It was seasonal and I considered it, but was told on the phone it couldn't be used as an entry point to other jobs in the company. Something an employer rarely admits unless they're hiring for seasonal only scut-work, which they were.

They opened a ginormous warehouse in my suburb maybe a year ago give or take. Between 1,000 and 1,500 jobs, all with the same as you said, $15/hour plus immediate benefits. They had trouble getting all the positions filled here. I think they still have openings.

[Hal-9000]

They opened a ginormous warehouse in my suburb maybe a year ago give or take. Between 1,000 and 1,500 jobs, all with the same as you said, $15/hour plus immediate benefits. They had trouble getting all the positions filled here. I think they still have openings.

If you do the math it's scary. I couldn't live in even the cheapest apartment working full time at 15 hour. I'd go in the hole every month and that's without a phone that has internet access and buying only food, gas and car insurance. No Netflix, no movies, probably no internet on my PC as well because my next to bottom tier service is 80/mo. My future doesn't look good.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

If you do the math it's scary. I couldn't live in even the cheapest apartment working full time at 15 hour. I'd go in the hole every month and that's without a phone that has internet access and buying only food, gas and car insurance. No Netflix, no movies, probably no internet on my PC as well because my next to bottom tier service is 80/mo. My future doesn't look good.

I couldn't do it in Denver either. If I was single I'd need to get a roommate on $15/hour. If you wanted to live in the shittiest most ghetto section of the city, you would still pay $1400/month in rent plus utilities and would be afraid to go out at night.

[Hal-9000]

I couldn't do it in Denver either. If I was single I'd need to get a roommate on $15/hour. If you wanted to live in the shittiest most ghetto section of the city, you would still pay $1400/month in rent plus utilities and would be afraid to go out at night.

My best friend from high school (we were born on the same day) has MS and he's not in good shape. Last time I saw him he said he feels sorry for me because he gets a monthly stipend from the government that's more than the 15/hour full time wage equivalent. He said he gets it for life and will never have to worry about money again.

He's also on his way into a chair and may eventually die from his disease... so I disagree with him on certain viewpoints.

[Hal-9000]

Fuck that was pretty maudlin, sorry

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Fuck that was pretty maudlin, sorry

No worries bud



And no 50 cent words either

[RBP]

No worries bud

And no 50 cent words either

[Teh One Who Knocks]

[RBP]