In an open letter, more than 400 MPs from 34 countries support the ‘Make Amazon Pay’ campaign, which states that Jeff Bezos’ company is not giving enough back to workers, society and the planet, thus evading its responsibilities.
Black Friday
It is no coincidence that the ‘Make Amazon Pay’ campaign was launched on 27 November, at the start of Black Friday. It is an initiative of a coalition of more than 50 (non-profit) organisations, including Greenpeace and Oxfam. They demand better working conditions for employees, full fiscal transparency and more efforts for the environment. “The pandemic has shown how Amazon lets profit prevail over workers, society and our planet. Amazon takes too much and gives too little back. It is time to make Amazon pay”, they say.
In the meantime, the campaign is also gaining political support. More than 400 representatives of the people have expressed their support in an open letter. The letter was signed by Jeremy Corbyn, former Labour Party leader, and Heidi Hautala, Vice-President of the European Parliament. In Belgium, MEPs Kathleen Van Brempt and Senator Bert Anciaux, among others, put their names under the document.
Changing policy
“We urge you to act decisively to change your policies and priorities to do right by your workers, their communities, and our planet,” the letter says. “We stand ready to act in our respective legislatures to support the movement that is growing around the world to Make Amazon Pay.”
According to Amazon, the allegations in the letter are misleading. “Amazon has a strong track record of supporting our employees, our customers, and our communities, including providing safe working conditions, competitive wages and great benefits,” the company told Reuters. The e-commerce giant would also “pay billions of dollars in taxes worldwide”.
