We know where Bezos gets his billions (X-posted from GD)

[guillaumeb]

From the article:

We work multiple jobs. We live paycheck to paycheck. We skip meals to save money. We don’t have health care. We sink deeper into student loan, credit card and medical debt. We spend more than two hours on public transportation to work a part-time shift. We ignore pain shooting through our backs, joints, knees, necks, minds....

We are one cracked radiator or rent increase from catastrophe. Even with the $15-per-hour “raise,” we live in poverty (my food stamps were cut from $190 to $43 per month). And for those of us who do get full-time hours, we all know that $15 is not a living wage in the Portland metro area when the cost of housing, food, transportation, etc., is skyrocketing.

Contrast this with the fact that Oregon has given or promised Amazon more in corporate welfare than any other state in the country, according to an October 2017 report.

Each week seems to bring more reports of us, Amazon workers, about organizing unions, boycotts and strikes all over this country and the world. In the 1930s, socialists and working-class people unionized the auto industry, raising the standard of living directly for hundreds of thousands of union households and indirectly by tipping the balance of power away from the Bezos class and toward workers.

It’s time to unionize the auto industry of our generation. It’s time to unionize Amazon.

To read more:

https://socialistworker.org/2019/01/31/we-know-where-bezos-gets-his-billions

The billionaire class never gives up anything without a fight.

And unions are the best way for workers to fight. Only collectively can average people realistically confront those who are literally buying our democracy

As the unionization rate in the US drops, we all suffer. It has always been so.
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[in2herbs]

1. Pro union here. nt

[guillaumeb]

2. My view:

Bezos is a billionaire because he steals from his workers.

Yes, he had an idea, but he deliberately underpays and overworks his employees.

[MH1]

3. My view:

If he is doing something illegal, charge him

If what he is doing isn't illegal, fix the laws.

My expectation is that the following are true: Bezos' operations stick closely to the letter of the law - there will be no opportunity for criminal, or significant civil, penalties.

That doesn't make it right. What it does mean, is that the laws need to be changed. As I think most at DU would agree.

[guillaumeb]

4. We agree that the laws were written to favor the very rich.

And the billionaire class buys the politicians that they need to write the laws that specifically benefit them.

[TxVietVet]

5. AMEN!

K & R

[guillaumeb]

6. Bezos does have his fans, even here. eom