Senator Mike Braun, R- Ind., Discusses the Amazon union campaign in the Amazon in Alabama and the stimulus project.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos declined a request from Senator Bernie Sanders, I-VT, on Friday to testify at an upcoming Senate Budget Committee hearing on income inequality.
The hearing, scheduled for Wednesday, will examine issues related to wealth and inequality amid an ongoing effort among Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama to unionize. Sanders invited Bezos to testify alongside a warehouse worker at the center of the union movement.
Critics are targeting Bezos, the richest man in the world, for the huge increase in his net worth amid an economic slowdown during the coronavirus pandemic. An Amazon representative said Bezos would not be able to attend the hearing.
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“We fully support Senator Sanders’ efforts to reduce income inequality with legislation to raise the federal minimum wage to $ 15 an hour for all workers,” said Amazon in a statement first obtained by Bloomberg.
Amazon raised its minimum wage to $ 15 an hour amid pressure from Sanders and other lawmakers. The e-commerce giant argues that its salary and benefits, which include a retirement plan, as well as medical, eye and dental care, are better than those of rival companies.
Sanders repeatedly asked Amazon and other major US corporations to increase their workers’ pay.
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“I invited Jeff Bezos to testify on the Budget Committee next week to explain to the American people why he thinks it is appropriate to spend a lot of money denying economic dignity to Amazon workers, while he became $ 78 billion richer during the pandemic,” wrote Sanders on Twitter about the invitation.
Sanders and other Senate Democrats pushed for a measure to be included in President Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package that would have gradually raised the federal minimum wage to $ 15 an hour over the next few years.
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The Senate parliamentarian decided that the measure could not be included in the bill. Later, Senate lawmakers rejected Sanders’ amendment that was intended to include the salary increase anyway.
In February, Amazon formally endorsed pressure for an increase in the federal minimum wage.