Maine Treasurer Henry Beck Joins Coalition to Pressure Amazon to Protect Workers

On the heels of the stunning Amazon Labor Union’s victory on Staten Island earlier this month, Maine State Treasurer Henry Beck joined New York City and other state pension fund managers in urging fellow Amazon.com Inc. shareholders to vote against re-election of two board members for failing to adequately protect worker safety at the company. The group, which collectively owns $5 billion in Amazon.com Inc., appeared with members of the Amazon Labor Union at a recent briefing. 

The coalition is calling on shareholders to vote against directors Daniel Huttenlocher and Judith McGrath of Amazon’s Leadership Development and Compensation Committee for not adequately overseeing health and safety and using labor practices that violate state and federal law and conflict with Amazon's own human rights policy.

“The workers fighting for their rights and dignity at Amazon who I met should inspire all of us. Amazon’s labor practices, pay ratios and public handling of these issues are not sustainable,” said Beck. “In the coming weeks, I will be taking steps related to Maine’s ownership of Amazon stock that will support workers and just as importantly, push the corporation to change for the long term benefit of workers and investors alike.” 

Maine’s state retirement system provides benefits to retired state workers, teachers, firefighters, law enforcement and other public employees. 

At the briefing Amazon Labor Union interim President Chris Smalls recounted Amazon’s flagrant disregard for COVID safety protocols, resulting in the deaths of workers from the virus. He was later fired after staging a walk out and speaking out about Amazon’s failure to protect workers.

“The company doesn’t give a damn about us. All they care about is profits,” said Smalls at the event. “When you see these glamorous commercials and propaganda that they put out portraying a happy environment, that is not the reality of the situation for the workers there. Now we’re asking for the support of the community, the country and the world to hold this company accountable until these workers are protected because we come from the communities that y'all represent. We live next door to y’all, not them.”