In Seattle, the 99% are calling on giant retailer Amazon to pay their taxes, treat workers with respect, and dump ALEC
Our partner organization Working Washington has the story:
During the afternoon rush hour on May 18th, several banners appeared over I-5 to bring attention to Amazon’s corporate tax dodging, mistreatment of workers, and support for the notorious right-wing group ALEC. This is just the first event in a week of action leading up to a major rally at Amazon’s May 24th shareholder meeting at the Seattle Art Museum. Click here for more info about the May 24th rally.
Our "Hello Amazon, Pay your taxes" banner was greeted with a chorus of supportive honks when we unveiled it over I-5.
Hundreds will rally outside Amazon's annual shareholder meeting on May 24th. Join us!
99% taking action all week…
Our week of banner-drops, book readings, tax dodgeball, visits to Amazon board members — and more — will culminate in a major rally outside Amazon’s annual shareholder meeting on May 24th. Watch this post for updates as the week of action continues.
As Amazon executives meet to celebrate their business successes, more than 500 workers, students, civil rights activists, people of faith, and more will gather outside the meeting to tell the company they need to do more to share their success with the communities and workers who make it possible.
Voices will also be raised inside the shareholder meeting to bring the issues directly before the executives and decision-makers who have chosen to take Amazon down an unaccountable path of tax-dodging, worker mistreatment, and support for ALEC, the infamous and extreme right-wing policy group. Click here for more info about the May 24th rally.
More information on Amazon 99% accountability issues:
Tax dodging: Recent figures from Citizens for Tax Justice reveal that Amazon paid an effective Federal increase rate last year of only 2.6%. They drove their rate so low by taking advantage of a loophole that gives them a $1 tax deduction for every $1 in stock options they give to executives. This continues a downward trend where their tax rate falls every year — from an 11.5% rate in 2008 to a 9.1% rate in 2009 and a 5.5% rate in 2010, despite solid profits. The corporate tax rate set in law is 35%.
Worker treatment: Two warehouse recently spoke out at the company’s headquarters about harsh conditions, including indoor temperatures that rose above 100 degrees. When workers collapsed from exhaustion, the company’s initial response was not to improve ventilation or install air conditioning, but simply to station paramedics outside.
Support for ALEC: Amazon is known to have been a “Director Level” sponsor of ALEC, the shadowy and extreme right-wing organization. In the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting, ALEC has become notorious for its role in passing “Stand your ground” laws, as well as efforts to create tax loopholes, undermine workers rights, and make it harder for young people & people of color to vote. Now that the group has come under increased scrutiny, many large corporations — including McDonald’s, Kraft, and others — have publicly dropped support for ALEC. However, Amazon has so far refused to publicly renounce their support.