In separate letters to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, DoorDash CEO Tony Hsu and Walmart CEO Doug McMillon. , Olivier de Schutter, the UN-appointed independent expert on extreme poverty and human rights, called for action on reports of inadequate wages and aggressive trade union-busting tactics. , misclassifying workers as “independent contractors” and intentionally depriving them of traditional employment benefits such as guaranteed minimum wages.
have a hard time buying basic things
“It is deeply upsetting that employees of the world’s most profitable companies in one of the richest countries on earth are struggling to put food on the table and pay their rent,” De Schutter said. “I’m working on it,” he said.
“Rather than violating the human rights of workers by not paying them a decent wage, multibillion-dollar companies should set standards for working conditions and wages,” he added.
“The path out of poverty”
As outlined in a recent report to the United Nations on the rise of the ‘working poor’, being held in non-standard employment contracts is a major cause of workplace poverty.
The Special Rapporteur also noted that a U.S. government report lists the three companies as among the top employers of government health and food aid recipients.
“Employment is supposed to provide a route out of poverty, but in all three companies, The business model appears to be to rely on government benefits and shift operational costs to the public. “It’s to make up for the woefully low wages,” he said.
aggressive union busting
According to information obtained by Mr. de Schutter, the ability of Amazon and Walmart employees to negotiate higher wages is severely hampered by aggressive union-busting efforts by their employers, and the companies are actively preventing workers from unionizing. They say they are spending millions of dollars to fight back.
“The United States appears to be turning a blind eye to the union-busting activities of America’s most powerful companies and allowing workers to accept poverty wages even as corporate profits soar,” the experts said. I lamented.
The Special Rapporteur has written to the US government detailing the allegations and requesting information on plans to address widespread workplace poverty in the country.
the usa is behind
“About 6.3 million people in the United States are classified as working poor, and the country lags far behind other high-income countries in terms of wage policies, worker protections, and the right to organize,” he said.
“Businesses have a responsibility to respect internationally recognized human rights, such as the right to a living wage and the right to join a trade union without fear of reprisal,” De Schutter said.
The experts asked for a response to the August 31 letter within 60 days. So far, only Amazon has provided an answer, but it doesn’t fully address all the concerns voiced. There has been no response from the U.S. government, DoorDash, or Walmart.
“The allegations against Amazon, DoorDash, and Walmart would constitute serious violations of these rights. It is time for these companies and the U.S. government to be held accountable.”
Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate and report on specific human rights topics and the situation in countries. This position is honorary and professionals are not compensated for their work.