AOC leapt into the ongoing Twitter battle between lawmakers and Amazon over workers' rights and bathroom breaks, by sharing internal company memo

Advertisement
AOC leapt into the ongoing Twitter battle between lawmakers and Amazon over workers' rights and bathroom breaks, by sharing internal company memo
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez waves to photographers as she walks through Statuary Hall.Alex Brandon/AP Photo
  • Rep. Ocasio-Cortez on Friday entered a Twitter feud between Amazon and lawmakers.
  • An internal Amazon memo asked staff to stop using Amazon bags as toilets, The Intercept reported.
  • Sharing it on Twitter, Ocasio-Cortez asked Amazon, "This you?"
Advertisement

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday leapt into an ongoing Twitter feud between lawmakers and Amazon, calling into question whether the company's policies have forced workers to skip bathroom breaks.

An Amazon account had posted on Twitter its response to claims that workers had to urinate in water bottles. It said: "You don't really believe the peeing in bottles thing, do you? If that were true, nobody would work for us."

Ocasio-Cortez responded by sharing an internal Amazon Logistics memo asking staffers to stop using Amazon bags as bathrooms. The May 2020 memo, which was first reported by The Intercept, asked employees to not "return bags to station with poop inside."

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

"This you?" Ocasio-Cortez said.

Insider has reached out to Amazon for comment.

Advertisement

Ocasio-Cortez joined a growing cluster of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle calling for Amazon to update policies. Senator Elizabeth Warren clashed with Amazon on Thursday on Twitter over tax laws.

"You make the tax laws @SenWarren; we just follow them," Amazon said on Friday.

AOC leapt into the ongoing Twitter battle between lawmakers and Amazon over workers' rights and bathroom breaks, by sharing internal company memo
Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.Mandel Ngan/Pool/Getty Images, Elif Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Senator Bernie Sanders has called for support a unionization drive, and joined warehouse employees on-site in Bessemer, Alabama, on Friday.

"There's a big difference between talk and action," Amazon said on Friday. "@SenSanders has been a powerful politician in Vermont for 30 years and their min wage is still $11.75. Amazon's is $15, plus great health care from day one. Sanders would rather talk in Alabama than act in Vermont."

Senator Marco Rubio earlier this month also said he supported the union drive. "When the conflict is between working Americans and a company whose leadership has decided to wage culture war against working-class values, the choice is easy - I support the workers," he said on Twitter.

Advertisement

The company has long said its workers were treated fairly. Its Amazon News account said: "The truth is that we have over a million incredible employees around the world who are proud of what they do, and have great wages and health care from day one."

{{}}