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Amazon’s warehouse working conditions, which have come under increased scrutiny lately, at the moment are at the center of a congressional probe that is being led by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
In a letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Sanders, who chairs the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, said the e-retailer’s “quest for profits in any respect costs” has caused warehouse employees to experience unsafe working environments without access to adequate medical attention.
“Amazon is well aware of those dangerous conditions, the life-altering consequences for employees injured on the job, and the steps the corporate could take to scale back the numerous risks of injury,” wrote Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democratic party. “Yet the corporate has made a calculated decision to not implement adequate employee protections because Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, and also you, his successor as Chief Executive Officer, have created a company culture that treats employees as disposable.”
Steve Kelly, an Amazon spokesperson, told CNBC in an announcement that the corporate strongly disagrees with Sanders’ claims within the letter. Individually, the corporate said Sanders has been invited to tour considered one of Amazon’s warehouses.
Sanders called on Jassy to show over more information related to Amazon’s injury and turnover rates, in addition to data on its on-site medical clinic, called AMCARE, dating back to 2019. He also asked Jassy to say whether Amazon has, internally or through a 3rd party, examined “the connection between the pace of labor of its warehouse employees and the prevalence or cost of injuries at its warehouses.”
Sanders said Jassy has until July 5, to reply to the inquiry. The HELP committee posted a form on its website looking for testimonials from current and former Amazon employees about their experiences at the corporate.
Amazon faces ongoing federal probes into its safety record beyond the Senate’s actions. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are investigating conditions at several warehouses, while the Department of Justice can also be examining whether Amazon underreports injuries.
Amazon says it’s made progress on reducing injuries across its U.S. operations, and continues to speculate in safety initiatives, projects and programs. It is also appealed a string of citations issued by OSHA in recent months around safety hazards and violations.
Under Sanders’ leadership, the HELP committee has taken aim at other firms’ workplace record Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz testified in front of the committee in March after Sanders repeatedly criticized the coffee chain’s handling of employees’ unionization efforts. Sanders has also been a frequent critic of Amazon’s labor practices, hosting a Senate Budget Committee hearing in May of last yr and alluring Bezos to debate the corporate’s approach to unions.
WATCH: Why OSHA is investigating Amazon for ‘failing to maintain employees secure’
