FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 17, 2021

Contact: Chelsea Connor | cconnor@rwdsu.org | 347-866-6259

BEZOS HANDOUT STATEMENT FROM RWDSU

(NEW YORK, NY) – Ahead of the U.S. Senate’s consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes a $10 billion subsidy to one of Jeff Bezos’s companies, Blue Origin, Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) issued the following statement:

“Jeff Bezos shouldn't receive taxpayer subsidies for his personal projects – period. In at least two recent years, one of the richest people on the planet paid no income tax; yet he then demands billions in taxpayer funds for a project that’s already been awarded to another company. This is the height of hubris.

“Rather than waste $10 billion dollars on a redundant space contract for Bezos, that money could be used to adequately fund Social Security Disability, Medicare and Medicaid and the food stamps that many of his own employees at Amazon and elsewhere have to rely on to make ends meet.

“Jeff Bezos’s business model includes feasting on public subsidies – and the U.S. Senate must not acquiesce to his demands. Furthermore, until Jeff Bezos changes the way his employees are mistreated and dehumanized at Amazon and elsewhere, no elected official should support the passage of subsidies for him or any of his projects.

“Providing Jeff Bezos with ten billion dollars of taxpayer money would be an inappropriate giveaway of galactic proportions.”

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 The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) represents 100,000 members throughout the United States. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). For more information, please visit our website at www.rwdsu.org, Facebook:/RWDSU.UFCW Twitter:@RWDSU.