61 points

“I met Joe Biden,” Smalls said, referring to the 2022 meeting where the president referred to him as “my kind of trouble.”

Smalls was less enthusiastic. “I met [Biden], I met a lot of these politicians that we thought would be looking out for the working class. And y’all — there ain’t no cavalry coming. I met with Joe Biden for an hour, and I don’t remember the conversation — it was that bad. When I left the White House, I felt empty.”

Six months after that meeting, Amazon secured an $8 billion loan from the federal government. “And that just told me right there that, once again, if we don’t organize, nothing’s going to be given to us. Nobody’s going to be held accountable,” Smalls said.

“So it’s a must. It’s our duty. Because we’re at a point of no return. We have to organize ourselves. Because no amount of money in the world can stop the power of people when we come together.”

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35 points

Also why in the hell is a giant corporation like Amazon, with pockets do deep they exceed the GDP of many countries, getting a loan from the federal government. Make it make sense.

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21 points

That part seems wrong. Amazon has to announce stuff like that. SEC filing on the loan has a list of all the lenders and none of them are the government.

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000119312523000849/d429499dex101.htm

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5 points

Maybe what they meant was that it’s one of those things the government had to approve, similar to when big companies merge and the SEC has to weigh in first. Just a guess.

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7 points

WTF is the government doing loaning tax payer dollars to the richest man in the world?

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3 points
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Rich people don’t stay rich by spending their money. They get money in order to be able to spend other people’s money.

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2 points
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I get that. What I don’t get is why our government would be involved in loaning them our tax dollars. Usually the government borrows money through bonds, or backs loans. They don’t usually directly loan our tax dollars out to wealthy corporations.

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37 points

They tried to get a minimum wage increase out, it ended with this

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28 points
*

Of course good ol Bernie Sanders is out there in the crowd with the workers. He’s the only authentic, legit politician I’ve ever seen.

Amazon sued the NLRB, arguing that the agency was unconstitutional and deprived the company of its First Amendment rights

Companies don’t have first amendment rights, motherfucker! They’re not people. IDC what some dumb ass Regan era law said. People are held accountable for their actions, and American companies are not. No rights without accountability.

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4 points

Keep Bernie’s Legacy going https://youtu.be/ZlZaVtCT5HI

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18 points

While I agree that Biden isn’t really helping labor out, Smalls has been a disappointment in how he runs the union he helped start.

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6 points

How? Remember when he was there with Sean Fein and the UAW?

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8 points
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Read the article, it links to another explaining Chris small’s own union complaining about his refusal to hold elections, they’ve asked a judge to force an election because Chris smalls refuses to do so after changing the union charter without a vote…

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-2 points

Another union instantly has the same old problems but the left refuses to even consider the possibly of finding a better solution and instead gets mad at anyone who suggests it.

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8 points

It can be both - Biden admin has objectively done more for workers than most American presidents AND it’s still not enough. Acknowledge both in criticism. Look at the auto workers Union president and see the more balanced approach there - hold his feet to the fire and reserve your endorsement, make them take some action to earn the endorsement, then don’t take the pressure off after giving it.

This just feels like anti labor press working to divide people that are overwhelmingly on the same side. Smalls isn’t trained for this work, he’s organically found himself in this position and he motivates people which is good, but it will always be easy for the machine to use his words against him as he’s not the classic polished, careful representative typically in that spot.

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Work Reform

!workreform@lemmy.world

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A place to discuss positive changes that can make work more equitable, and to vent about current practices. We are NOT against work; we just want the fruits of our labor to be recognized better.

Our Philosophies:

  • All workers must be paid a living wage for their labor.
  • Income inequality is the main cause of lower living standards.
  • Workers must join together and fight back for what is rightfully theirs.
  • We must not be divided and conquered. Workers gain the most when they focus on unifying issues.

Our Goals

  • Higher wages for underpaid workers.
  • Better worker representation, including but not limited to unions.
  • Better and fewer working hours.
  • Stimulating a massive wave of worker organizing in the United States and beyond.
  • Organizing and supporting political causes and campaigns that put workers first.

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