(Amazon) Workers of the World Unite

From Amazon to REI, the return of unions may be one lasting legacy of Covid.

Around 200 Amazon workers, mostly of East African descent, protested outside their workplace in Minnesota. They protested against working conditions such as workers being tracked by computer and required to work at a high rate of speed, such as scanning something every 7 seconds, and the required speed is increased over time. People of East African descent make up 30–60% of the workforce at this location. December 14, 2018. (photo: Fibonacci Blue)

On Friday, Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island, New York, made history. (“Uh-Oh, Amazon: Warehouse Workers Vote to Unionize in NY.”)

By voting to unionize, Amazon employees have officially ushered in a new age of accountability.

From Amazon and beyond, companies desperate to fill thinned staff rosters may soon be faced with employees determined to unite and use this opportunity for force a little more of that trickle from trickle down economics.

After all, the world’s 10 wealthiest individuals, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, managed to double their wealth during Covid-19. Add that to the fact that the wealth gap was already astronomical, and the fact that a wealth transfer just occurred from small businesses- which are closing- to Amazon- which has never been richer- and you have a recipe for vocational discontent.

Clearly, more wealth needs to be trickling down to the working class. It shouldn’t surprise corporate execs at Amazon that after the crushing pressures and gauntlet of life during Covid19, workers are anxious to get in on the largesse produced by their efforts.

“We’d like to thank Jeff Bezos for going to space,” joked the successful labor organizer after the…