Live data from Hacker News

Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

vox.com

31–40 of 197 posts

Re: Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

#31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The memo doesn't seem to suggest hiring the formerly incarcerated, it only mentions creating partnerships with organizations that work for the formerly incarcerated. It doesn't say what that partnership would entail, but something like donating to an outreach program for the formerly incarcerated doesn't deserve tax breaks.

I think you missed this part: > “....By creating a pipeline of workers who would immediately benefit from our benefits compared to other peers in the region, we are creating spokespeople that can improve our reputation, while helping our communities most vulnerable.”

[deleted]

Re: Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

#32
post #13

So apparently “neutralize” is the big bad trigger word here despite this quote? > Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien told Recode in July that his union is intent on “ disrupting [Amazon’s] network until they get to a point where they surrender

No post body was provided.

Re: Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

#33

I really dislike sensationalized headlines like this. A more accurate one might say: > Amazon's plan to counter pressure from the Teamsters Union focuses on investing in non-profits. For those who didn't read the article: A leaked Amazon memo shows that the Teamsters Union is effectively putting pressure on Amazon by convincing its members to pressure politicians into not granting Amazon tax breaks, land grants, etc.…

Hey, I gave to a charity. Why don't local politicians give me tax breaks?!?

Honestly, this sort of idea is such an anathema to the idea of fairness, and an indictment of politics.

Be a big enough company, and then you can effectively bribe politicians into giving you money from local tax payers that you can then use to destroy those same local businesses and communities. Genius.

Re: Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

#34
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They were the first to $15, literally leading a nationwide wage increase for low skill labor, and now they pay closer to $18 by me. For people trying to hate Amazon at any cost, the goalposts keep shifting. If Amazon announced $20 minimum tomorrow, there is no doubt in my mind that people would still be griping. And even when people concede that Amazon pays industry leading wages, it's "whatabout" the urine bottles a…

I'm sure people would still be griping, but nothing is static. The cost of everything keeps increasing and honestly, depending on where you live even at 20 dollars an hour it will be hard to make ends meet. There will always be a struggle between labor and employer where each will seek to maximize their share, it's the system we have set up. I really don't think people should be faulted for pushing for more when it's…

> when it's literally a companies goal to pay people as little as is functionally possible

The meme that “fiduciary duty” means “maximise revenue at all costs” needs to die. This is a falsehood that has been debunked repeatedly.

Re: Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

#35
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They were the first to $15, literally leading a nationwide wage increase for low skill labor, and now they pay closer to $18 by me. For people trying to hate Amazon at any cost, the goalposts keep shifting. If Amazon announced $20 minimum tomorrow, there is no doubt in my mind that people would still be griping. And even when people concede that Amazon pays industry leading wages, it's "whatabout" the urine bottles a…

That’s because $20 is still humiliatingly low for the workload

$20/hr is increasingly difficult to live on in higher COL areas of the US, but annualized at 40 hours per week, it's pretty close to the US median individual income. a household with two adults making that much would be well above the median household income. "humiliatingly low" is an exaggeration.

Re: Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

#36

I really dislike sensationalized headlines like this. A more accurate one might say: > Amazon's plan to counter pressure from the Teamsters Union focuses on investing in non-profits. For those who didn't read the article: A leaked Amazon memo shows that the Teamsters Union is effectively putting pressure on Amazon by convincing its members to pressure politicians into not granting Amazon tax breaks, land grants, etc.…

Quotation marks implies they are directly quoting from the leaked memo, i.e. not a sensationalized headline.

That's not how quoting works. You can't just quote one word and then put something else behind it. There's a difference between "neutralizing unions" and "neutralizing labor's attempt to ..."

It's like the difference between "we need to kill him" and "we need to kill his attempt to pass a law that would..."

Re: Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

#37
post #30

I read the article expecting to see terrible actions by Amazon fighting the union. Instead the article was about the Teamsters union convincing local governments to block Amazon from opening buildings, and Amazon "fighting back" by increasing their hiring of needy ex-cons and minorities from local colleges, ending their marijuana drug tests, and otherwise working to ingratiate themselves with their comminities. The T…

They seem to be very positive influence on amzn

Re: Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

#38
post #29

Next time you're at a union meeting, ask them about any boxes they own at sports stadiums. Ask if you as a paid union member can use the box that you are paying for with your dues.

While I don't like things like luxury boxes for the big wigs, a union exec would have the same justification as any business exec would. In fact, a union exec might have even more justification as I can imagine nearly their entire job is schmoozing executives and politicians.

An even better opportunity for the executives and politicians being schmoozed to meet a real dues-paying union worker.

Re: Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

#39
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They were the first to $15, literally leading a nationwide wage increase for low skill labor, and now they pay closer to $18 by me. For people trying to hate Amazon at any cost, the goalposts keep shifting. If Amazon announced $20 minimum tomorrow, there is no doubt in my mind that people would still be griping. And even when people concede that Amazon pays industry leading wages, it's "whatabout" the urine bottles a…

I'm sure people would still be griping, but nothing is static. The cost of everything keeps increasing and honestly, depending on where you live even at 20 dollars an hour it will be hard to make ends meet. There will always be a struggle between labor and employer where each will seek to maximize their share, it's the system we have set up. I really don't think people should be faulted for pushing for more when it's…

> The cost of everything keeps increasing and honestly, depending on where you live even at 20 dollars an hour it will be hard to make ends meet.

And if you bump everyone to $20, things will get more expensive and then you'll have to bump them to $22, and then everything will get more expensive so you'll...

Re: Leaked memo reveals Amazon’s plans to combat the Teamsters in California

#40
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sure people would still be griping, but nothing is static. The cost of everything keeps increasing and honestly, depending on where you live even at 20 dollars an hour it will be hard to make ends meet. There will always be a struggle between labor and employer where each will seek to maximize their share, it's the system we have set up. I really don't think people should be faulted for pushing for more when it's…

> when it's literally a companies goal to pay people as little as is functionally possible The meme that “fiduciary duty” means “maximise revenue at all costs” needs to die. This is a falsehood that has been debunked repeatedly.

Your two sentences in this thread is hardly debunking anything. What is Amazon maximizing if not profit? It certainly is not employee share of revenue or employee well being.
Post reply on HN