Skip to content
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Email
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Features
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Clumns
Suburban Chicagoland

Suburban Chicagoland

Original News, Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else

  • About
    • About
    • Advertise
    • Our Writers
      • Ray Hanania
      • Bill Lipinski
      • Biography: Aaron Hanania
      • Steve Metsch
      • Steve Neuhaus
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
    • Reach Out
  • Sections
    • Events
    • Opinion
    • News
    • Features
    • Seniors
    • Comic Strip
  • Library
    • “MIdnight Flight” Online Book
      • Midnight Flight Book Overview
      • Midnight Flight Introduction
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 1
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 2
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 3
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 4
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 5
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 6
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 7
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 8
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 9
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 10
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 11
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 12
      • Midnight Flight Chapter 13
    • Villages, Cities & Towns
    • Federal Office Holders
    • County Officials
    • Legislators
  • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
  • Comment
  • Podcast
    • Ray Hanania on Politics
    • Two Guys on Politics
    • Hanania on Tiktok
  • News Wire
  • Toggle search form
  • Orland Township Trustee Lena Matariyeh joined with High School District 230 Trustee and newly appointed Orland Fire Commissioner Mohammed Jaber to put a spotlight on its important role in helping needy families.
    Orland Township Trustee Matariyeh joins School District Trustee Jaber in showcasing Food Pantry food
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Leving team court victory protected dad from crushing debt Dads' Rights
  • Jesse Jackson Jr July 2025
    In response to draft effort, Jesse Jackson Jr. forms Exploratory Committee to consider 2nd Congressional District run Chicago
  • OFPD responds to fire at the loading Dock of Marshalls Retail Store, 101 Orland Park Place Mall. Photo submitted by resident
    Quick Orland Fire response prevents Marshall’s fire from spreading, no injuries Fire
  • Attorneys Jeffery Leving Arthur Kallow
    Leving Matrimonial Law Seminar – Defending Orders of Protection Arthur Kallow
  • Police Blotter
    Orland Park Police Department Investigating Fatal Hit-and-Run accident
  • Taste of Orland Park 2025
    Taste of Orland Park Returns to Village Center with Food, Fun and Festivities Events
  • Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge
    Exclusive interview with Orland Mayor Jim Dodge says former mayor left huge debt breaking news
  • Chicago Wovles play the Rockford Ice Hogs, Feb. 23, 2025
    Chicago Wolves hockey unveil 2025-26 Season schedule Chicago
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN Blogger
  • Andrew Boutros US Attorney Illinois
    Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Threatening FEMA Employees and Law Enforcement Officers Crime
  • SeatGeek Stadium
    Chivas de Guadalajara and Club Leon to meet in Chicago Bridgeview
  • OFPD Trustee DJ Jeffers, COmmissioner Mohammed Jaber, Events and Safety Coordinator Betsy Dine and McDonalds Manager Doug Kwiatkowski join about 100 kids who participated at the Frozen with a Firefighter event Wednesday, July 9, 2025
    Frozen with an Orland Firefighter at McDonald’s Events
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Chicago dad’s court victory brought kidnapped daughter home Dads' Rights
  • Congresswoman Robin Kelly official photo
    Leading members of State’s Gun Violence Prevention Community endorse Robin Kelly for U.S. Senate elections
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders

Senator Sanders slams Amazon on poor employee treatment

Posted on August 29, 2018August 29, 2018 By Ray Hanania No Comments on Senator Sanders slams Amazon on poor employee treatment
SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  

Sanders slams Amazon on Working Conditions

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement Wednesday after Amazon responded to Sanders’ call for stories from Amazon workers:

“Let’s start with the facts. All over this country, many Amazon employees, who work for the wealthiest person on Earth, are paid wages so low they can’t make ends meet. Thousands of Amazon employees are forced to rely on food stamps, Medicaid and public housing because their wages are too low, including 1 out of 3 of its workers in Arizona and 2,400 in Pennsylvania and Ohio, according to The New Food Economy. Bottom line: the taxpayers of this country should not have to subsidize employees at a company owned by Mr. Bezos who is worth $155 billion. That is absurd.

“Amazon has been less than forthcoming with information about their employment practices. What we do know is that Amazon’s median employee pay is only $28,446 — 9 percent less than the industry average and well below what constitutes a living wage in the United States. Further, we believe that many of Amazon’s workers are employed by temporary staffing agencies and contractors and make even less than the median Amazon employee.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders

“Unfortunately, this is all the information we have because Amazon refuses to make public complete information about the wages and benefits provided by the contractors it uses to run fulfillment centers across the country. If Amazon is so proud of the way it treats its workers, it should make public the number of people it hires through temporary staffing agencies like Integrity Staffing Solutions and make public the hourly rate and benefits those workers earn.

“It’s not only low wages that are of concern with regard to Amazon. There are deeply disturbing stories about working conditions at fulfillment centers run by Amazon and its contractors. Amazon’s warehouses are on the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health’s list of most dangerous places to work in the United States. According to the NCOSH, seven Amazon workers have died on or near the job since 2013, including three workers within five weeks at three separate locations last year. I will be asking the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to investigate unsafe working conditions at Amazon fulfillment centers.

“In terms of visiting a fulfillment center, last month I was visiting Wisconsin and requested to visit the fulfillment center in Kenosha. Unfortunately, Amazon could not accommodate me then. In September, I look forward to visiting the fulfillment center in Chester, Virginia, and working out the details with Amazon. We have heard from workers there, including Navy veteran Seth King, about unsafe working conditions and at least one person has reportedly died at the warehouse.

“On September 5 we are going to introduce legislation to end the absurdity of middle class taxpayers having to subsidize large, profitable corporations, many of which are owned by billionaires. If Amazon, Walmart and other corporations won’t pay their workers a living wage, our bill would establish a 100 percent tax equal to the amount of federal benefits received by their low-wage workers. The American taxpayer should not be subsidizing the richest people in history so they can underpay their employees.”

Below are some of the stories from Amazon workers Sanders has received in recent days:

“I currently am unable to find an afford a home/apartment for me and my daughter. I am a father of 1 daughter. I live with my brother and his family because the high prices of rent and the low wage. I am also a former United States Marine.” – Current worker, Pierce County, Washington

“Our starting wage is $12.25/hourly and the first raise of 25 cents after 6 months. I am currently working a second job in an attempt to make ends meet. Our facility is estimated 1.3 million sq feet. We get a 30-minute lunch when is like inhaling your food and two 10 minute breaks. We have asked for longer breaks and lunches as it takes time to walk through the massive facility. We’ve inquired about pay for individual performance. We’ve asked the wage to be considered as the cost of living in California is higher than most states. The answer was simply no.” –Current worker, Riverside, California

“Amazon’s ‘Fulfillment’ Centers are not designed with human beings in mind. If anyone wanted to experience what a turn of the 20th century American sweat shop might have looked/sounded/felt like they could look no further than Amazon.” – Former worker, San Antonio, Texas

“Was homeless sleeping in the parking lot after I no longer could afford rent.” – Former worker, Fort Worth, Texas

“If my aunt wasn’t helping I wouldn’t be able to make it at least put food on the table. And after the rest is said and done I don’t even have enough to put back in case of an emergency. If my care runs into problems or someone gets sick to where I miss a day’s worth of work my daughter and I would be one step closer to being homeless.” – Current worker, Cleveland, Tennessee

“My Fulfillment Center rarely makes corporate’s monthly quota. Most of the associates can make the individual’s quota but it’s still a struggle. Because of this, many associates break the safety rules, making an already dangerous warehouse even more so.” –Current worker, Reno, Nevada

“It takes 5 minutes to walk to lunch and 5 minutes to walk back but you are timed precisely from scan to scan on items and only given a 30-minute break. Any violation of the aforementioned and you are written up. Three write ups and you are fired. It was sad working there because me and so many of my friends there worked so hard and were treated so poorly.” –Former worker, Houston, Texas

“I have emotional trauma from working there as well as physical. It felt worse than being in jail some days. Because you had chosen to be there. Before you knew what it really was. There is so much more to the story and if had the money and resources I would have sued them.” –Former worker, Harrisburg, North Carolina

newswire info
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania
Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.  

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.

Follow RayHanania at Twitter
Ray Hanania
Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all)
  • Orland Township Trustee Matariyeh joins School District Trustee Jaber in showcasing Food Pantry - July 17, 2025
  • Leving team court victory protected dad from crushing debt - July 17, 2025
  • In response to draft effort, Jesse Jackson Jr. forms Exploratory Committee to consider 2nd Congressional District run - July 15, 2025
  • Tweet

SHARE THIS STORY
            
 
  
 
 
 
           
Government, National, Politics Tags:Amazon, criticizes Amazon, employee mistreatment, low wages, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, unfair employment wages

Post navigation

Previous Post: Lipinski urges restoration of humanitarian aid for Palestinians
Next Post: Kaegi Vows to Fix Broken Property Tax System

Related Posts

  • US Marine Saluting. Photo courtesy of Jerry Field
    Send in the Civilians … The Marines need a little support General Topics
  • Coffee & Conversation Orland Fire Protection District May through October 2020
    Orland Fire’s popular Coffee & Conversation resumes with virtual online meetings Briefs
  • What Chicago mayor candidates are really saying about themselves Blogger
  • Chicago Mayoral candidate Kam Buckner 2023
    Kam Buckner slams Mayor Lightfoot for ethical violations and pushing CPS to support her candidacy Chicago
  • Ray Hanania on Politics podcast logo
    Podcast: A preview of the upcoming battle for the 3rd Congressional District Blogger
  • Congressional Candidate Rush Darwiash urges tougher punishments for sellers of illegal weapons. Photo courtesy of the Rush Darwish campaign
    Darwish joins coalition urging passage of HB 4116 — life in prison for illegal gun sellers elections

More Related Articles

Nicholas Aguirre, charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon. David Aguirre-Gonzalez charged with firing the weapon and one count of First Degree Murder. Photo courtesy of the Cicero Police Department First Degree Murder charges filed against gang member in Cicero shooting death breaking news
13th Ward Alderman Marty Quinn Ald. Quinn reinforces commitment to improving Public Safety, supporting Chicago Police  Chicago
Bell used in Firefighter's Bell Ceremony at the 16th Anniversary Commemoration of the Sept. 11, 2017 terrorist attacks at the Orland Fire Protection District headquarters in Orland Park, Illinois. Video: Orland Fire commemorates 9/11 victims Editors Pick
Congressman Sean Casten Sean Casten defeats Marie Newman and will face-off with extremist Keith Pekau Cook County
A fire gutted an apartment at 3129 S. 48th Court early Friday morning but was quickly extinguished by the Cicero Fire Department, Fire Chief Michael Piekarski said. Photo courtesy of the Cicero Fire Department House fire in Cicero displaces families, no injuries Fire
President Preckwinkle Cuts Ribbon on New and Improved Sand Ridge Campus Cook County

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Login with your Social ID
Subscribe to Ray Hanania's column graphic

Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Everything you need to know about your Property Index Number or PIN
    July 12, 2025
  • Jeffery M. Leving fights for your rights
    Chicago parents and other community leaders must work together to make sure this summer isn’t deadly for our children
    July 3, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    How Technology Changed the Cook County Treasurer’s Office
    June 27, 2025
  • Attorneys Jeffery Leving Arthur Kallow
    Honoring Fathers: A Father’s Day Reflection
    June 13, 2025
  • Cook County Treasurer Maria Papas
    Understanding Cook County Property Taxes: A Guide for Homeowners
    June 13, 2025
  • 06-04-25 Two Guys on Politics Background Zoom LOGO with images
    Two Guys on Politics Podcast on Elon Musk, Trump’s Parade, LA Riots, and Middle East ban
    June 12, 2025
  • NEWS
  • Orland Township Trustee Lena Matariyeh joined with High School District 230 Trustee and newly appointed Orland Fire Commissioner Mohammed Jaber to put a spotlight on its important role in helping needy families.
    Orland Township Trustee Matariyeh joins School District Trustee Jaber in showcasing Food Pantry
    July 17, 2025
  • 05-23-25 Jeffery M. Leving
    Leving team court victory protected dad from crushing debt
    July 17, 2025
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • SPORTS
  • Chicago Wovles play the Rockford Ice Hogs, Feb. 23, 2025
    Chicago Wolves hockey unveil 2025-26 Season schedule
    July 12, 2025
  • SeatGeek Stadium
    Chivas de Guadalajara and Club Leon to meet in Chicago
    July 12, 2025
  • NEWS RELEASES
  • Orland Township Trustee Lena Matariyeh joined with High School District 230 Trustee and newly appointed Orland Fire Commissioner Mohammed Jaber to put a spotlight on its important role in helping needy families.
    Orland Township Trustee Matariyeh joins School District Trustee Jaber in showcasing Food Pantry
    July 17, 2025
  • Jesse Jackson Jr July 2025
    In response to draft effort, Jesse Jackson Jr. forms Exploratory Committee to consider 2nd Congressional District run
    July 15, 2025
John Kass Columns

Order the book PoweR PR; Ethnic Activists Guide to Strategic Communications

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S YOUTUBE VIDEOS


Click here to view the video on YouTube or use the widget below.

Follow Ray Hanania at
Twitter
Facebook
TitkTok
BlueSky
RayHanania Columns

Creative Commons License
All works on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

Categories

Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group

Powered by PressBook Premium theme