Amazon Workers Mark #PrimeDay With Strikes Against Low Pay, Harsh Conditions

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has just become the richest man in recorded history—surpassing $150 billion in net worth—thanks to his business model of subjecting employees to low wages, brutal working conditions, and scant benefits, and on Tuesday Amazon workers throughout Europe are marking “Prime Day” by walking off the job in massive numbers to call attention to their plight.

In addition to walkouts by 80 percent of the workers at Amazon’s largest distribution center in Spain—nearly 1,800 workers—employees of the retailer are also launching strikes in Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom to demand higher wages and denounce Amazon’s union-busting efforts.

“The message is clear—while the online giant gets rich, it is saving money on the health of its workers,” Stefanie Nutzenberger, spokesperson for the German services union Verdi, said in a statement.

Tres días de #HuelgaAmazon, en San Fernando de Henares #Madrid, coincidiendo con el #PrimeDay. La multinacional pretende crear varias categorías salariales para un mismo trabajo @AmazonEnLucha pic.twitter.com/dgw8It803X

— CCOO de Madrid (@CCOOMadrid) July 16, 2018

Strikes against Amazon’s notoriously appalling working conditions—which include forcing warehouse employees to skip bathroom breaks and urinate in bottles to meet the company’s unrealistic performance expectations—come as Bezos is coming under growing pressure to address his treatment of employees.

As Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) pointed out in his “CEOs vs. Workers” town hall Monday night—which Bezos declined to attend—the Amazon chief earns around $275 million each day while refusing to pay his workers enough to get by without food stamps.

Seth King, a former Amazon employee who participated in the town hall, described Amazon’s business model as “a revolving door of bodies” and said workers are “not allowed to sit down” or “talk to other people” on the job.

This is the reality of working at Amazon. #CEOsvsWorkers #PrimeDay pic.twitter.com/osJJRjNoTJ

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 17, 2018

Jeff Bezo’s newly renovated home in Washington DC will have 25 bathrooms. Meanwhile, Amazon workers skip bathroom breaks in order to meet their grueling work targets. #CEOsvsWorkers

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 16, 2018

Jeff Bezos has become the 1st person in recorded history worth $150 billion.

Just with what he’s made in the last 24 hours, Bezos could buy every house for sale in Seattle right now ($709M) & house every homeless person in the city for 1 monthhttps://t.co/pGqASOFcS0

— Mike Rosenberg (@ByRosenberg) July 16, 2018

In solidarity with striking workers throughout Europe, many in the U.S. and throughout the world are calling for boycotts of “Prime Day,” which lasts 36 hours.

Never cross the picket line! Stand in solidarity with Amazon’s underpaid, undervalued workers, and boycott #PrimeDay2018 https://t.co/o1ZahWYRu0

— Kim Kelly (@GrimKim) July 16, 2018

Amazon employees are on STRIKE! Workers are calling for a #PrimeDay2018 boycott through July 16th.#AmazonStrike workers experience exhaustion, dehydration & workplace injuries.

Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world. His workers deserve better! #UnionStrong #FridayThe13th pic.twitter.com/0gW1zbPLeL

— Bonnie Castillo (@NNUBonnie) July 13, 2018

If you’re staying off Amazon in solidarity with workers for the #amazonstrike, remember to keep away from all their subsidiaries as well! That includes the following: pic.twitter.com/suSrdBgYAz

— Richard Sajor (@richardsajor) July 11, 2018