Workers lift their voices against poverty wage jobs at our airport.

by Nate Jackson Underneath the mid-morning sun dozens of community members and gathered press listened as airport workers held a press conference about Sound Transit’s decision to block factual ads about poverty wage jobs at our airport.

Hosea Wilcox, a Sea-Tac Airport skycap, was one of the workers who spoke to the press outside of Sound Transit HQ near the International District Link Light Rail station.

"I've been working at this airport for 31 years," Wilcox said. "I’m ashamed that the public servants who run Sound Transit are trying to stop train riders from learning about our story. What are they afraid of?”

It’s not just Hosea. Thousands of workers at our airport face poverty wages and bad work conditions. Many of them are barely making it even while they work hard to take care of the traveling public. They work hard every day and all they want is a chance for the public to know their stories.

One community member moved by their plight has started a change.org petition that hundreds have already signed.

Show your support for airport workers and sign this petition and tell Sound Transit that the public has the right to know about poverty wage jobs at our airport.

Also at the press conference were community organizations like Puget Sound Sage and One America also gave statements affirming their support of the workers. Maha Jahshan, an organizer from One America made a statement.

“One America is proud to stand in solidarity with airport workers,” she said. “Many of these workers are immigrants and refugees. They work hard to keep our airport running. They make our airport clean, efficient, comfortable and safe. They are simply trying to tell their stories to the public and we call on Sound Transit to reconsider their decision.”

The ads were rejected and deemed “unacceptable.” What’s really unacceptable is the fact that there are thousands of poverty wage jobs at our airport.

Join hundreds of others and sign the petition. The public has the right to know about poverty wage jobs at our airport.

We want every job at our airport to be a good job where people can afford to take care of their families as they take care of the hundreds of thousands of passengers and tourists who rely on their professionalism and expertise.

SeaTac Airport Workers Announce Federal Lawsuit Against Sound Transit

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Contact: Thea Levkovitz,  Thea@workingwa.org

TODAY:   SeaTac Airport Workers Announce Federal Lawsuit Against Sound Transit

Today Sea-Tac Airport workers announce a Federal lawsuit filed against Sound Transit. The agency has unfairly rejected a factual ad about thousands of poverty wage jobs at our airport.

When: Today, April 5, 2012, 11:30 AM

Where: Pier 66, Bell Harbor, 2711 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98121

What: Airport workers will announce Federal lawsuit outside Sound Transit Board Retreat at Port of Seattle.  Airport worker, Hosea Wilcox, featured in an ad rejected by Sound Transit will speak about poverty wage jobs at our airport

Visuals: Workers will reveal a 3’ x 7’ banner version of the “objectionable”  ad.

An ad rejected by Sound Transit has the simple tag line, “Let’s make all airport jobs good jobs.”   This is virtually the same message Sound Transit ran as recently as November, 2011 “Stand up for Good Jobs.”  In response to this decision, Working Washington has filed a Federal lawsuit over what appears to be a decision to single out this particular content by Sound Transit.

The 4,000 poverty- wage workers at SeaTac think you should know about working conditions at our airport.

Workers like Hosea Wilcox, who is featured the ad has worked at SeaTac as a Sky cap and still makes only minimum wage. “After 31 years working at SeaTac, I was reduced to using food stamps. I just couldn’t get steady full-time hours; often it was just 12 or 15 hours per week. This doesn’t seem right, to reward your loyal workers this way.”

And Hosea Wilcox is s only one of thousands of passenger service workers at our Airport making less than the federal poverty level. They are the taxi cab workers, ramp workers, cabin cleaners, fuelers, cargo workers, ground transportation workers, shuttle drivers, parking lot workers all critical jobs to keep Sea-Tac Airport running.

There is no problem with the ad, the problem is poverty wages at our Airport.  Let’s make all jobs at the Airport good Jobs.

The Working Washington ad adheres to the Sound Transit advertising guidelines.  We think that Sound Transit should do the same and run our ads.   The public has the right to know who keeps our airports running. Workers will not be silenced.

Speakers:

Jonathan Rosenblum, Working Washington

Skycap, Hosea Wilcox, worker featured in the ad

Rahwa Habte, OneAmerica

David West, Executive Director, Puget Sound Sage

Sergio Salinas, President, SEIU Local 6

Other Airport Workers

For additional information:   www.itsOURairport.org

###

Amazon Pied--Online Protestors Call Out Giant Retailer's Tax Dodging.

In a first-of-its-kind online action, the Amazon.com webpage for a pie-cutter is being swamped today with “reviews” pointing out the giant online retailer’s failure to pay their fair share of taxes. Frustrated by Amazon’s tax-dodging, workers, students, and community members from the Seattle area and others from across the country are sending Amazon a message they can’t miss — by leaving the message on Amazon’s own website. Check out some of the best examples below.

Pie Cutter Equity Less Than Half Good, April 3, 2012

By

Rick R. Harlan (Seattle, WA, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pie Marker/Cutter 6 Cut

First of all, I'm not about to use a pie cutter that makes the pieces equal. That's just not American. I may be way down in the middle-muddle of the 99% but IF I had enough money for a whole pie, I wouldn't want to share 99% of it with the rest of the world. I'd want the whole thing for myself! Right?

That's why I regularly and dutifully vote against my own immediate self interest, like against that initiative for a graduated state income tax for just the rich citizens of Washington State, folks like Amazon executives--people who make more money in a couple weeks, or days, or hours, than I do all year. I've had so little for so long, if I had it all I'd want to keep it all, right? Why even sponsor cleaning up Puget Sound, or reducing homelessness blocks away from headquarters, or envisioning the Next 50 Years? I'd have my pie!

If I buy a piece of pie, I pay sales tax of near 10%. Property tax means I can't afford my home no less a pie; but there's no tax on owning stocks and bonds. People who have 99.9& of the pie pay income tax of only 15% on pie dividends.

Come to think of it, the kind of pies I think would come in handy in the situation we're in now in this country are good old fashioned American pies. No, not apple pies--whipped cream pies!

Pies for everyone who has it all and wants to keep it all! No pie-cutter needed. Best used one full pie at a time. Just imagining, of course!

Slices have never been so equitable!, April 3, 2012

By

DWieland - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pie Marker/Cutter 6 Cut

Quite often when divvying up dinner at our family's weekly "Pizza Night", I as the oldest and richest will take the largest slice. My children starve on the leftover scraps, if there is any left. It's so easy to forget that there are others to feed! Now that I have the handy Pie Marker/Cutter 6 Cut, I recognize that my greed, while initially profitable to my waistline, has resulted in my family leaving me! Hopefully the smell of delicious, fairly sized slices of pizza will convince them to return to the family. Thanks for the valuable lesson, Amazon!

Loyal Customer Wants Amazon to Do Better!, April 3, 2012

By

Claudine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pie Marker/Cutter 6 Cut

I find Amazon to be a wonderful service and have had great experiences with your company, however, I am ashamed to learn that I have been supporting a company that doesn't pay it's fair share and has practices that contribute to the devastating and increasing economic injustice in this country. Please use this pie cutter and your obvious collective talents to do better!

Slices unevenly, April 3, 2012

By

Tim - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pie Marker/Cutter 6 Cut

I bought this pie cutter thinking that it was gonna cut the pie evenly, so everyone gets a fair share but it turns out it doesn't work that way. And how could it when the company that sells it doesn't understand fairness? They paid an effective 5.5% federal tax rate by giving stock options to executives. What?? How is that fair?

crummy pie slicer, April 3, 2012

By

onlythecrumbs - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pie Marker/Cutter 6 Cut

While I find it nice that Amazon sells this pie cutter that cuts a pie into equal pieces, it is regrettable to me that they are doing everything they can to hoard all the pie and leave the rest of us dividing the crumbs. From treating their workers poorly, avoiding taxes, and strong arming other businesses Amazon uses dirty tricks to hoard the pie and make their CEO super rich. While we are all left with equally splitting the crumbs....

Dear Amazon - NO PIE FOR YOU!, April 3, 2012

By

Jacqueline Helt - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pie Marker/Cutter 6 Cut

This pie cutter is a very useful tool; however, it would be even more useful if one of the slices inlcuded Amazon paying their FAIR SHARE. Tsk Tsk - why is it that huge corporations like Amazon think it is okay to stand on the backs of those of us that do pay our fair share! Dear Amazon - NO PIE FOR YOU!

Unnecessary: Why Would Anyone Need to Cut a Pie?, April 3, 2012

By

Mr Moneybags - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pie Marker/Cutter 6 Cut

I don't understand this product. When one of my servants makes a pie, I can't imagine why I would need to cut it. Obviously, I just eat the whole pie. If I host a party with lobbyists and politicians, obviously we all get our own pie. I've seen other reviewers complaining about how unequal this pie cutter is, but really, they should feel happy they are getting ANY of the pie. It goes to show just how charitable Amazon is by even selling this product, especially since you can't really find this stuff at any of the local shops around town, as they have all shut down. They probably shut down because they were silly enough to pay their taxes, and pay their employees livable wages. Every successful businessman knows the only way for capitalism to succeed is with underpaid, overworked employees and lots of tax lawyers and lobbyists to get you the best deal, which Amazon has done better than anyone.

This cutter divided my pie, evenly!, April 3, 2012

By

Gina - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pie Marker/Cutter 6 Cut

Was shocked to get an even piece of the pie! Amazon seems to have the monopoly on slicing huge slices from the pie chart that represents OUR economy. They starve our local book stores, publishing companies and small businesses by undercutting prices, while not paying an even slice of state and federal taxes. Amazon needs to try this pie cutter. It really does cut equally any way you slice it!

Our creative action seems to have struck a nerve in South Lake Union. 

While well more than 100 people have written and posted fair share pie cutter reviews, Amazon has removed a good number of these — so there’s no doubt Amazon executives are well aware of our message that it’s time for them to pay their fair share. However, the word about Amazon’s tax-dodging shenanigans continues to spread, and reviews continue to be posted even faster than Amazon can wipe them clean. Click here to see all the dozens of reviews still remaining on the site: http://www.amazon.com/Pie-Marker-Cutter-6-Cut/dp/B002UCB686/

Amazon gets pied--online action on tax fairness swamps Amazon product reviews.

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** APRIL 3, 2012 Fed up with Amazon's corporate tax dodging, customers use feedback system to review the company itself.

In a first-of-its-kind online action, the Amazon.com webpage for a pie-cutter is being swamped today with "reviews" pointing out the giant online retailer's failure to pay their fair share of taxes. Frustrated by Amazon's tax-dodging, workers, students, and community members from the Seattle area and others from across the country are sending Amazon a message they can't miss — by leaving the message on Amazon's own website:

* "Quite often when divvying up dinner at our family's weekly "Pizza Night", I as the oldest and richest will take the largest slice. My children starve on the leftover scraps, if there is any left. It's so easy to forget that there are others to feed! Now that I have the handy Pie Marker/Cutter 6 Cut, I recognize that my greed, while initially profitable to my waistline, has resulted in my family leaving me! Hopefully the smell of delicious, fairly sized slices of pizza will convince them to return to the family. Thanks for the valuable lesson, Amazon!" —DWeiland

* "While I find it nice that Amazon sells this pie cutter that cuts a pie into equal pieces, it is regrettable to me that they are doing everything they can to hoard all the pie and leave the rest of us dividing the crumbs. From treating their workers poorly, avoiding taxes, and strong arming other businesses Amazon uses dirty tricks to hoard the pie and make their CEO super rich. While we are all left with equally splitting the crumbs…." — Onlythecrumbs 

Our creative action seems to have struck a nerve in South Lake Union. While well more than 100 people have written and posted fair share pie cutter reviews, Amazon has removed a good number of these — so there's no doubt Amazon executives are well aware of our message that it's time for them to pay their fair share. However, the word about Amazon's tax-dodging shenanigans continues to spread, and reviews continue to be posted even faster than Amazon can wipe them clean. Click here to see all the dozens of reviews still remaining on the site: http://www.amazon.com/Pie-Marker-Cutter-6-Cut/dp/B002UCB686/

The reviews are in: a can't-miss message about tax dodging

With tax day just 2 weeks away and people across the country getting ready to pay what they owe to the IRS, community members are outraged that Amazon and other big corporations are trying to get away with paying almost nothing in taxes.

In fact, according to a recent report by the Citizens for Tax Justice, the company's effective Federal income tax rate last year was only 5.5% — far less than the 35% rate set in law. Amazon drove their tax rate this low by taking advantage of a loophole that gives them the company a $1 tax deduction for every $1 in options they hand out to top executives. Last year alone, this scheme saved Amazon $276 million — and cost the rest of us that much in cuts to public education, public infrastructure, and other public services.

Since Amazon claims to pride itself on innovation and customer feedback, online activists decided to use those very tools to bring a message to Amazon about their tax-dodging in a way they couldn't miss — by giving a negative review to their corporate tax dodging, mistreatment of workers, and predatory practices.

More information:

* Pie cutter product review page:http://www.amazon.com/Pie-Marker-Cutter-6-Cut/dp/B002UCB686/

* "Corporate tax dodgers" report from Citizens for Tax Justice: http://ctj.org/ctjreports/2011/11/corporate_taxpayers_corporate_tax_dodgers_2008-2010.php

* Seattle Times investigation of Amazon's business practices: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2017883596_amazonintro25.html

Working Washington is bringing people together to fight for a fair economy — and that means holding corporations like Amazon.com accountable to pay their fair share and make sure all the jobs they create are good jobs. It's time to stop the cuts to education, health care, and other services so we can build an economy that works for everyone, not just the top 1%. For more information, visit WorkingWa.org

###

Amazon should learn from its "Fair Share" Pie Cutter.

Amazon just doesn't get it. Just like other big corporations, they seem to think they can get away with tax-dodging and other predatory business practices. They're wrong, and today — Tuesday, April 3rd — we’re going to let them know with a message they won't be able to miss. Amazon says it wants feedback and we will give them what they asked for:  honest customer reviews about how Amazon as a "pie cutter" is cutting the pie so that only the 1% get any pie!

Amazon sells this pie cutter that’s supposed to make perfectly even slices, so everyone can get their fair share. We don't know anything about this product, but we know for sure that Amazon doesn't like to play fair so it’s possible Amazon is putting the squeeze on this company as well.

Joining our online action is easy. If you've bought something from Amazon before you can write up your own blistering "review" of the pie cutter that actually speaks to Amazon's tax-dodging and other predatory business practices they use to avoid paying their fair share:

1. If you've purchased something from Amazon before, you can just go to this page to find the symbolic pie cutter.

2. Get creative and have some fun writing the review of the pie cutter. (If you’ve never bought anything from Amazon before, no big deal, you can share the reviews that your fellow activists wrote.)

3. Brag and spread the word to your family and friends! Here's the link to the reviews page you can share on Facebook, Twitter, and by email:

Click here to write the "review" of Amazon through this "Fair Share Pie Cutter."

Here are more example reviews to get you inspired. You're welcome to just copy & paste them too!

• I want my fair share of pie. Corporations like Amazon not paying their fair share cuts into public services and education.
• Corporations like Amazon should pay their fair share – it’s as American as apple pie.
• Corporations like Amazon paying their fair share – is it a pie in the sky idea? Not if the 99% stand up to Amazon and other behemoths. Enough is enough.
• Yeah I bought this pie cutter thinking that it was gonna cut the pie evenly, ya know so everyone gets a fair share. Well, come to find out that Amazon doesn't even follow the example of one of their products. They paid an effective 5.5% federal tax rate by giving stock options to executives. What?? How is that fair?

Amazon’s new business model: writing laws?

by Nate Jackson We know that Amazon wants to expand its influence. It is no longer content with mistreating warehouse workers or dodging its tax responsibilities, now it wants to create laws directly or at least throw money at an organization that does so.

Amazon supports a shadowy corporate front group called the American Legislative Exchange Council simply known as ALEC. It is an organization that writes “model legislation” for our elected officials while wining and dining them at expensive “educational” vacations at three annual conferences a year.

Amazon started supporting ALEC last year and has already proven a valuable member. According to The Center for Media and Democracy, Amazon’s director of US State Public Policy, Braden Cox, spoke at a workshop hosted by ALEC around E-Commerce and E-Taxes. Interesting side note, the workshop was primarily an instruction manual on how Amazon could outmaneuver its main Goliath sized rival Walmart by manipulating the tax codes for its own benefit. They don’t want the special tax breaks for which they lobby to go to just any old corporation after all.

ALEC claims that it is a group of public and private institutions, but it really gets most of its money from big corporations that read as a who’s who of corporate tax dodgers and influence peddlers: Amazon, FedEx, Walmart, Bank of America, and Exxon Mobil amongst others. The companies invest in ALEC and they get our elected officials to shop legislation that balloons corporate profits at the expense of not only democracy, but often worker rights. ALEC has written hundreds of bills that put the needs of their corporate sponsors ahead of the needs of workers and the spirit of a democracy that is supposed to be “of the people.” ALEC has pushed legislation such as the “Living Wage Mandate Preemption Act.” This gift to big corporations tried to stop cities and state government from requiring living wages as part of a contractor negotiation. In essence they wanted to control government in its hiring practices to benefit big corporations at the expense of decent wages for workers.

ALEC has also pushed for legislation to weaken collective bargaining and deny workers from trying to better their work conditions. The recent rounds of anti-union bills introduced in Wisconsin and around the country can be traced to ALEC as it tries to weaken the workers' efforts to protect themselves from predatory employers.

Corporations should not be writing laws and the fact that Amazon supports an organization created to circumvent our democratic process is another red flag for the giant online retailer.

Instead of investing in an organization that gives Cliff’s Notes to lawmakers, Amazon should be investing in its workers, paying it fair share of taxes and ensuring that every job they create is a good job.

What if form followed function at Amazon.com?

If Amazon.com designed a headquarters campus that reflects the hidden truth of their corporate behavior, they would be proposing a design that reveals some inconvenient truths they’d rather keep secret. But we're bringing some questions to the city's design review meeting on Amazon's proposed South Lake Union headquarters expansion.

Note: all of these questions cite specific sections of the official Design Review guidelines for downtown development.

Will there be reserved parking for ambulances & car campers?

Working conditions were so rough at Amazon’s Pennsylvania warehouse that they stationed paramedics outside to treat workers who collapsed from heat exhaustion. Their Nevada warehouse is staffed by temporary migrant workers, some of whom camp in the desert during the holiday season. Is this what can we expect to be going on behind the scenes of their glossy corporate headquarters — or are these kinds of conditions only good enough for warehouse workers?

(Design Review Guideline D-4: "Provide appropriate signage".  If Amazon's corporate behavior requires parking outside their facilities for ambulances, they should be marked that way for all to see.)

Will the site feature an anaconda terrarium for inspiration?

Last year, Amazon offered a $5 bonus to shoppers who scanned a bar code at a real-world store and then bought the product online — a promotion that seemed designed to squeeze the life out of local community businesses. This is just the latest way Amazon has abused its position to put the squeeze on competitors and prey on independent publishers.

(Design Review Guideline D-3: "Provide elements that define the place." Putting predatory practices at the center of the building would define the place that is Amazon's corporate headquarters far better than the "awareness garden" they have proposed.)

Will the development include a dodgeball court in the tax department?

Amazon.com is one of the worst corporate tax dodgers in the country, paying an effective Federal income tax rate of only 5.5% — far less than the 35% rate set in law. They avoid paying their share by exploiting a loophole that gives them a tax break every time they hand out stock options to their top executives — and gives the rest of us that much in budget cuts.

(Design Review Guideline D-5: "Provide adequate lighting". We are concerned that Amazon does not want their corporate tax-dodging to come to light.)

Does Amazon plan broken mirrors in the executive suites?

A fully-functioning mirror is like an invitation for executives to pause and reflect on their work. But the glossy image of Amazon.com cannot hold when you reflect on how they do business and start to focus on the ugly inconvenient truths hidden behind the screens of the giant online retailer.

(Design Review Guideline B-1: "Respond to the neighborhood context". Preventing honest self-reflection is directly responsive to the context of a neighborhood which is designed and zoned to cater to Amazon's corporate growth.)

Another Amazon Secret?

by Nate Jackson A huge secret has been exposed: Amazon treats its warehouse workers poorly. True sweatshop work conditions where the temperatures race past 100 degrees and delivery quotas that demand breakneck speeds and a “safety last” mentality.  That’s bad enough, but did you hear about another secret of the giant online retailer? They dodge taxes. A lot.

Amazon’s effective federal tax rate was 5.5% in 2010 way below the standard rate of 35%, set by law, for big corporations. Amazon maneuvers itself out of paying its fair share amount by gaming the system through a financial scheme—giving bonuses to executives.

When Amazon spoons out bonuses to executives in the form of stock options sometimes worth millions, the giant retail company gets to claim those bonuses for tax breaks. Basically by stuffing their own pockets they can then recoup that cost without paying their fair share in taxes. It’s a two for one special that is perfectly legal, but perfectly immoral.

Amazon has an obligation to live up to its end of the bargain that we as a society make with corporations. We, the public, give big corporations: an educated workforce, customers and a business friendly infrastructure. We build roads, bridges, construct power grids and supply access to other basic needs of business. What we demand in return is pretty simple: good jobs, safe products or services and corporations paying their fair share in taxes. Amazon executives seem like they’ve forgotten the deal.

Amazon doesn’t just sidestep its Federal tax obligation, but it actively fights against collecting state sales taxes as well. The big kid on the online playground has bullied state officials in California, New Jersey and other states to get what it wants.

In California, Amazon threatened to pull its business out of the state unless they got a tax break. When that threat was called by the state legislature, the giant online retailer decided it didn’t want to play by the same rules as every other business. It decided to take the law into its own hands--it created and pushed a new initiative.

In New Jersey, Amazon demanded our lunch money in special tax holidays, in exchange for creating low wage, high turnover warehouse jobs. The giant online retailer, whose CEO is worth billions, is dangling low wage jobs in exchange for tax breaks that in the light of Amazon’s huge size, amounts to chump change.

Amazon is the largest online retailer in the world, worth billions. It’s sheer size is setting the norms and expectations of online business and if we, together, don’t do something it will continue to squeeze out profits no matter the cost. It will continue to use sweatshop conditions in its warehouses, wheel and deal for special tax breaks and if necessary create new laws to get out of paying its fair share.

We need to hold Amazon to live up to its obligation of giving back to the communities from which it benefits. The giant retailer should be paying its fair share in taxes, treating all of its workers well and competing for business in an ethical and straight-forward manner instead of playing by its own rules. The largest online store in the world needs to keep up their end of the bargain. Maybe they are just forgetful--time for a gentle reminder.

It's a Jungle in There: The secrets behind the screen of Amazon.com

By Nate Jackson Amazon.com is the largest online retailer in the world. The company based in Seattle has led the industry of online retailing in efficiency, selection and prices. It has shiny offices, tall buildings and young well dressed software engineers strolling about town, but it has secrets that it doesn’t want you to see. One of those secrets is how poorly it treats thousands of its workers right here in America.

We are not talking about the business suit employees you see rushing around South Lake Union or riding the Seattle Streetcar, the gift from Paul Allen.  We are talking about the backbone of any retailer, the warehouse workers who get the goods moving from your online shopping cart to your real world doorstep. You click, they work, and according to Amazon warehouse workers, often in horrible, terribly unsafe conditions.

Recent media investigations revealed that workers in the Amazon.com warehouses are under constant threat from management to meet exhausting productivity levels while trying to deal with long hours, unsafe work sites, including high heat and a lack of training and safety/lifting gear, unforgiving concrete flooring, low pay and few, if any, benefits such as a day off.

Amazon warehouse workers are treated like disposable employees, often employed through "temp" firms in schemes designed to ensure that these workers receive second-class or worse pay, training or benefits, making it extremely clear that Amazon has no regard for these workers when compared to its  bottom line. This is wrong.

A warehouse in Pennsylvania literally became a “sweat shop” because the company would not buy air conditioning even when temperatures spiked past 100 degrees in the boiling summer heat. It wasn’t until the media brought to the public's attention that workers were collapsing from heat exhaustion, and caravans of ambulances were literally being parked outside the warehouse to carry collapsing workers to the hospital, that Amazon.com took action. The public pressure that resulted from these investigations finally forced Amazon into installing air conditioning.

An Amazon.com warehouse in Nevada hires temporary workers for the holiday season and offers an unusual "perk" to the transitory workforce: the chance to camp out in the desert heat on the side of an interstate highway.

Amazon uses threats of termination as its motivation to warehouse workers. Quotas are king while workers hustle from station to station dodging forklifts and other machinery, at their peril,  to keep the exhausting pace set by the management. If one worker doesn’t work at breakneck speed, Amazon just gets another one.

Amazon doesn't appear to question its production quotas, even when workers are fleeing in droves from exhaustion: the only priority for Amazon is the speed that the packages are moved at the lowest possible price. The cost to its workforce, from the low pay, the unsafe conditions, or the rocketing turnover, is clearly of no importance. The quota is all.

What makes all of these reports about Amazon's secret homegrown sweatshops is that it's not like Amazon is forced into these practices because it is struggling to survive. Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos is worth billions of dollars. Amazon has been so lucrative for him that he is putting together a space shuttle to fly tourists into space. Yet, Amazon treats its workers to desert heat, long work hours, limited breaks, low pay and unsafe and unkind production quotas designed for machines not humans? If Amazon’s CEO can afford to fling millionaires into space for a weekend holiday it can afford to treat its workers right.

The 99% to Olympia: No more big bank tax cuts

by Nate Jackson Hundreds of silent protesters lined the halls beneath the state capitol dome.

We had dollar bills strapped over our mouths and watched as Washington State Legislators slinked by on their way to a party. It was hard to understand what they were celebrating. They had just rammed through a budget that slashes essential services while doling out more tax breaks to big banks. Activists and concerned community members from Washington CAN!, Fuse and Working Washington came to Olympia to do something about it.

This last week we have been in Olympia to tell our legislators that we won’t stand for a budget that does not reflect our values. Budgets are a moral statement. What we value, we should fund. We value quality education, affordable healthcare and good jobs for those that want to work. We reject continuing giveaways to big banks and tax breaks for the 1%. This budget passed by the Senate doesn’t reflect those values, and we can’t let it stand.

On Tuesday we had a sit in.

One of the main architects of the state senate all slash budget was State Senator Zarelli. So we went with dozens of people to send him a message: stop balancing the budget on the backs of the poor. Stop playing politics with people’s lives.

We sat in Senator Zarelli's office sharing our stories on how his all-cuts-all-the-time budget would directly affect our lives, leaving us wounded.

Will is a man who has is disabled and cannot work. He previously owned and operated a successful software company, but the sudden onset of a mental disorder stripped him of the ability to work. He is taking medications to combat the symptoms.

"Without the disability lifeline I couldn't afford my meds," he said. "I'd be in prison or dead."

He talked to the cluster of media cameras about how Senator Zarelli's budget would quite possibly end his independence.

"I'm getting better with the meds. I hope to be able to work soon," he said. "But this budget...it will take me again to a place where I won't be able to come back."

Senator Zarelli’s office called the cops.

On Wednesday we tried to appeal to the allegiances of the state senators who voted for the strip-healthcare-fund-big-banks-budget. We pretended our schools, clinics and universities were named after big banks.

Wearing baseball caps with names written on them like "Wells Fargo Elementary," "Citigroup Childcare," and "JP Morgan Chase Clinic," we asked our legislators if we could get funding now that we looked like their favorite constituents.

Senator Sheldon checked the “yes” box for big banks when it came to his budget vote, but he ran away from us when we asked him for funding now that we were big bank wannabes. He mumbled something under his breath and rushed off ducking around a corner. He was pretty fast.

Senator Rodney Tom, who also said yes to big bank loopholes, decided to talk to us in his office for quite a while. Too bad his argument was fundamentally flawed.

"When you negotiate you don't say 'here's my final offer right from the beginning," he said. "I trust the leadership; Murray and Zarelli will work this out. They know where I stand. Those things will get fixed."

Let's translate that from politician to English.

Imagine a bully in the playground is throwing his weight around. He is pushing and shoving and sees a good-natured kid waving at him. The bully strides over and demands five dollars. The kid, following Senator Tom's logic, should give the bully five dollars and then politely beg for one of them back.

Voting for a budget that goes against the values you “hold dear” doesn’t make any sense at all no matter how you spin it.

The state senate had shown where its values lay reaffirming their allegiance to the one percent and big banks by dishing out special tax breaks that annually run into the billions. Their budget cut deep: eliminating the disability lifeline, cutting environmental protection funding and stripping tens of millions from our already threadbare schools.

We value funding essential services like education and healthcare by having everyone paying their fair share. The big banks have taken enough bailouts and tax breaks. It’s time our state senators stop pretending the big banks need more public cash when services we actually care about are on the chopping block.

It’s time for the big banks and the 1% to pay their fair share. Budget problem solved.