London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Amazon's Bezos: Union defeat does not bring 'comfort'

Amazon's Bezos: Union defeat does not bring 'comfort'

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos has said the company's recent victory in defeating a high-profile unionisation drive in the US did not bring him "comfort".

In his final letter to shareholders as the company's chief executive, he addressed concerns about the firm's treatment of its workers.

The comments follow a year of blistering global criticism of Amazon's work practices during the pandemic.

But Amazon decisively beat back the union effort, despite those complaints.

"Does your chair take comfort in the outcome of the recent union vote in Bessemer? No, he doesn't," wrote Mr Bezos, referring to the city in Alabama where the union drive occurred.

"I think we need to do a better job for our employees."

In the letter, Mr Bezos said he was proud of the work environment at Amazon, which employs 1.3 million people globally and hired 500,000 people in 2020 alone.

He said the company had led the way by setting $15-an-hour minimum wage, defended the firm's productivity targets for workers and disputed reports that staff feel so pressured to meet those expectations that they cannot take breaks.

"Despite what we've accomplished, it's clear to me that we need a better vision for our employees' success," said Mr Bezos, who is set to become executive chairman of the firm and relinquish the chief executive job.

Jeff Bezos said he was proud of work conditions at Amazon, which employs 1.3 million people globally

In his new role, Mr Bezos said, he would devote some of his attention to initiatives aimed at making Amazon "earth's best employer" and "earth's safest place to work", such as a programme that rotates staff to new jobs to avoid injuries caused by repeatedly doing the same physical task.

In a statement, Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), which led the unionisation drive in Bessemer, said the comments showed the campaign had had a "devastating" impact on the firm's reputation, "regardless of the vote result".

"We have initiated a global debate about the way Amazon treats its employees. Bezos's admission today demonstrates that what we have been saying about workplace conditions is correct. But his admission won't change anything, workers need a union - not just another Amazon public relations effort in damage control," he said.

Amazon is not the only company under pressure to improve conditions for its staff.

Walmart, America's largest employer, on Wednesday said it would shift more of its US employees to full-time roles.

The move followed years of criticism of the firm's reliance on part-time retail workers. As a result, some staff have faced unpredictable schedules and lack benefits, such as health insurance.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×