U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is being called out for not walking the walk ahead of his Friday visit to speak with Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama.
Sanders is slated to be joined by rapper “Killer Mike” and Hollywood’s Danny Glover on his trip, which will come the same day that first lady Jill Biden and actress Jennifer Garner also visit the state.
Ahead of Sanders leaving Washington, D.C. to touch down on an Alabama tarmac, one Amazon executive is pointing out some key facts regarding the Democratic socialist former presidential candidate.
Dave Clark, an alumnus of Auburn University and CEO of Amazon’s worldwide consumer business, took to Twitter this week to underscore that while Sanders spends a lot of time delivering political speeches regarding his support for a $15 minimum wage and health care coverage, Amazon actually delivers both of these items already for its employees.
Clark stated that he welcomes Sanders to the Birmingham area and appreciates “his push for a progressive workplace.”
“I often say we are the Bernie Sanders of employers, but that’s not quite right because we actually deliver a progressive workplace,” Clark continued.
He then highlighted that on top of Amazon’s $15 minimum wage, the company offers industry-leading benefits to full-time employees, which include comprehensive health care from day one, 401(k) with 50% match, up to 20 weeks paid parental leave and Amazon’s innovative Career Choice program, which pre-pays 95% of tuition for courses in high-demand fields. Since the program’s launch four years ago, more than 25,000 employees have pursued degrees in game design and visual communications, nursing, IT programming and radiology, just to name a few. Clark also underscored Amazon’s “safe and inclusive work environment.”
“So if you want to hear about $15 an hour and health care, Senator Sanders will be speaking downtown. But if you would like to make at least $15 an hour and have good health care, Amazon is hiring,” Clark said.
He subsequently pointed out that Sanders’ home state of Vermont, in which the senator has been a prominent elected official for decades, the minimum wage is well below Amazon’s companywide minimum wage.
All we want to know is why the Sen is one of the most powerful pols in VT for 30+ yrs and their min wage is STILL only $11.75.AMZN’s min wage is $15 + great health care from Day 1.The Sen should save his finger wagging lecture until after he actually delivers in his own backyard. https://t.co/dRo2Tv1xDQ
— Dave Clark (@davehclark) March 25, 2021
Clark was scheduled to deliver a spring commencement keynote address at Auburn last year before COVID-19 ended those plans. In a March 2020 release, the university hailed him as a “[s]trategic and visionary” leader with “a commitment to fostering dynamic and innovative work cultures known for employee development and customer satisfaction.”
Sanders’ Friday visit will come as the Bessemer unionization vote winds down. Amazon employees are voting on whether to join the New York City-based Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).
Per the latest available data from the Alabama Department of Labor, Bessemer has the third-highest rate of unemployment among the state’s major cities.
While Sanders is known for railing against the 1%, his net worth is estimated to be about $3 million. The senator and his wife raked in almost $5 million from 2009-2018. They own three homes. Sanders has not worked in the private sector since 1981 and is currently drawing two separate government pensions.
The likes of President Joe Biden, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams have also publicly backed the Alabama unionization effort.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
