Amazon Disputes Bernie Sanders' Accusations Of Poor Working Conditions

A former presidential candidate criticized Amazon so much that the e-commerce giant felt the need to issue a personalized response. After Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) repeatedly called out Amazon for reportedly poor working conditions in its “fulfillment centers,” the company published a blog post disputing claims made by Sanders and other critics.

The statement accused Sanders of making “inaccurate and misleading” statements about Amazon’s business practices. The senator, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, has frequently taken Amazon to task for the supposed lack of worker safety at its warehouses. Sanders even tweeted that he would ask the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to investigate Amazon warehouses, claiming several workers have died in recent years.

Over the years, Amazon fulfillment centers have been dogged by accusations ranging from a lack of air conditioning to strictly monitored employee movements. There have even been reports of employees urinating in bottles to avoid taking timed restroom breaks. In April, the Intercept reported that a number of Amazon warehouse employees needed to rely on SNAP benefits despite being employed by a hugely profitable company.

Amazon’s blog post disputed all of this, claiming its wages are competitive with other major retailers and that employees receive good benefits. The lack of air conditioning was reportedly fixed back in 2012.

“In addition to highly competitive wages and a climate controlled, safe workplace, Amazon provides employees with a comprehensive benefit package including health insurance, disability insurance, retirement savings plans, and company stock,” Amazon said to Sanders. “The company also offers up to 20 weeks of paid leave and innovative benefits such as LeaveShare and RampBack, which give new parents flexibility with their growing families.”

The company went on to say it had invited Sanders to visit a fulfillment center to get a more accurate picture of Amazon working conditions.

Amazon has been on the defensive regarding its fulfillment centers for some time. A company spokesperson told International Business Times in July that reports of poor working conditions were false or exaggerated amid worker strikes on its annual Prime Day event. Amazon’s battle with Sanders came days after it was reported that Amazon was paying employees to speak positively about its working conditions on social media.

Sanders, for his part, seemed unimpressed with Amazon’s response. His Twitter account was still criticizing Amazon as of Wednesday afternoon.