From the United States to Bangladesh, from Germany to South Africa, Amazon will face coordinated strikes and protests today demanding that the company raises wages above inflation for all its workers and stops its union busting.
by Christy Hoffman and Nazma Akhter, Jacobin
When Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994, he didn’t just open an online store out of a garage in Bellevue, Washington. He created a globe-spanning business ready to squeeze every last drop from workers, sellers, consumers, and the planet. The pandemic offered the company the chance to squeeze much more: it doubled its workforce and tripled its profits.
Amazon’s geographic expansion continues apace. In 2023, Amazon plans to enter at least five more countries: Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Nigeria, and South Africa. Even with some slowed growth in recent months, Amazon is stronger — and more profitable — than it was three years ago.
![Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez arrives for the premiere of Amazon Prime’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ on August 15, 2022](https://progressivehub.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Shutterstock_2192862493-uai-258x145.jpg)
Amazon is not just the marketplace. It makes and sells its own products through a sprawling global supply chain. And most of its profits flow from its cloud services arm, Amazon Web Services, which now controls a third of the worldwide market. With Whole Foods, Amazon has a foot in the grocery industry. With the recent acquisition of One Medical, the corporation continues to make headway in the health care sector. Amazon has also become a big player in the entertainment industry — whether that’s Prime Video or Twitch, the live streaming video platform.
Recent Posts
VIDEO: A Blueprint For Countering American Fascism
July 26, 2024
Take Action Now Our First Annual Henry A. Wallace Symposium offered lessons from real-life heartland organizers on how to fight for a multiracial…
Gavin Newsom Orders Removal Of Homeless Encampments
July 26, 2024
Take Action Now “The only way to end homeless encampments in California is to end the need for homeless encampments,” an expert said.…
The Crackdown On Antisemitism Doesn’t Have Much To Do With Antisemitism
July 26, 2024
Take Action Now Republican lawmakers increasingly conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism in an effort limit pro-Palestine speech and criticism of…
Netanyahu’s Unhinged And Bellicose Congressional Address Draws Scorn
July 25, 2024
Take Action Now ‘Our enemies are your enemies,’ the prime minister insisted, setting up confrontation with Iran. By Blaise Malley,…