Athena - delivering democracy

NEW REPORT: Amazon’s Capture of Local Government Purchasing Is Driving Up Public Costs and Eliminating Competition

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:06:00 +0000

A sweeping new investigation by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) reveals that Amazon has quietly become a controlling presence in how cities, counties, and school districts purchase basic supplies — and that its tightening grip is driving up costs, eroding competition, and harming local economies.

Drawing on purchasing records from 128 cities, counties, and school districts serving 51 million Americans, the report — Turning Public Money into Amazon’s Profits: The Hidden Cost of Ceding Government Procurement to a Monopoly Gatekeeper — exposes how Amazon has used its market power, political influence, and opaque pricing algorithms to insert itself into public purchasing systems with little transparency or oversight.

Hundreds Of Activists Across 6 Cities Rallied To Demand Amazon Drop Contracts With ICE

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000

This holiday weekend, protestors across Chicago (IL), Los Angeles (CA), New York City (NY), Oakland (CA), San Bernardino (CA), and Washington, D.C. rallied against Amazon’s contracts powering ICE. As Amazon enjoys one of its highest sales volume seasons of the year, community members demanded that the corporation end its complicity in Trump’s detention and deportation agenda by serving as the technological backbone for ICE’s surveillance machine.

“This holiday season, Amazon is not only profiting from squeezing workers and small businesses — it is profiting from ICE raids in our communities. Through Amazon lucrative cloud contracts with the federal government and ICE contractors, Amazon has equipped the Trump administration with a degree of surveillance and tracking that we have never seen in this country. As a result, many communities are living in fear of being abducted and forced to leave their families this holiday season. As Amazon and other Silicon Valley corporations deepen corrupt alliances with the Trump administration, it’s more important than ever that people stand up and fight back,” stated Athena Coalition Director Ryan Gerety.

Statement on Amazon's sales to Israeli military companies

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:06:00 +0000

Internal Amazon documents obtained by The Intercept reveal that Amazon provided cloud computing services to two Israeli weapons manufacturers during the war in Gaza . Tech workers at Amazon published the following statement in response to this reporting:

Two of Israel’s premier state-owned military companies, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, are now verified as obligatory customers of Amazon Web Services (AWS) via Project Nimbus. These two Israeli military companies are also the biggest contributors of drones and weapons to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. Rafael has reported record revenues in both 2023 and 2024, which its executives explicitly attribute to Israel’s assault on Gaza.

Our Take on Amazon’s Plans to Automate Its Workforce

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:06:00 +0000

Today, the New York Times published an analysis of internal strategy documents from Amazon that disclose a plan to automate away half a million of its warehouse work jobs. Members of the Athena Coalition provided the following response:

Ryan Gerety, Director of the Athena Coalition:

“It is a profound public policy failure that a handful of enormously wealthy corporations like Amazon are poised to capture all the rewards from the development of advanced robotics and artificial intelligence, while workers and the public bear the brunt of a corporate-dominated economy that fails to provide quality jobs. Amazon’s plan to automate away half a million jobs and deceive the public about that reality is a continuation of a business model reliant on precarious, unsafe jobs and union busting. Questions of looming robots aside, Amazon has relentlessly and knowingly used technology to push workers to the point of injury for many years. Instead of focusing on robotics mergers and satisfying investors, Amazon should have invested in creating a safe and stable workplace. Our choice is clear: we must rebalance the economy to put more power in the hands of workers, break up monopolies like Amazon, and reorient technological innovation to benefit us all, not just a wealthy few at the top."

Ahead of Climate Week March, organizations rally to demand, ‘No Data Centers for Billionaires’

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Dozens of activists and community members gathered before the ‘Make Billionaires Pay’ march to oppose the dangerous and growing alliance between the Trump administration and tech billionaires.

(New York City) ––– This morning, members of the Athena Coalition hosted a rally to call attention to a dangerous and corrupt alliance developing between tech billionaires and the Trump administration. The rally included local, state, and national organizers fighting back to stop Big Tech’s unsustainable data center expansion across the country. They were joined by tech workers from No Tech for Apartheid who are working to hold tech corporations accountable for directly participating in the unfolding genocide in Palestine.

The Fight Against Amazon: State of Play, 2025

Wed, 21 May 2025 00:06:00 +0000

Amazon warehouse and delivery workers are organizing to win safer jobs, despite Trump appointing a former Amazon executive to lead OSHA.

Four years after Amazon pledged to make the company “Earth’s Safest Place to Work” by cutting its total injury rate in half by 2025, a new analysis from the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC) shows that Amazon’s management has failed to deliver the safety improvements that it promised, and is nowhere near meeting its own injury reduction goals. In 2024, Amazon’s total injury rate was 80% higher than its target rate for 2025.

NEW REPORT: Amazon and Our Rigged Tax System

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 00:06:00 +0000

Washington, D.C. – On April 24, the Institute for Policy Studies, the Athena Coalition, and PowerSwitch Action released a timely new report, “Amazon and Our Rigged Tax System: The Stakes in the Tax Debate for the Corporation and Its Executives versus Workers and Small Business. ”

Every year, Tax Day exposes just how rigged the U.S. tax system is – while millions of Americans pay their fair share, big corporations like Amazon and their top executives get to exploit tax loopholes to avoid doing the same .

How We Take on the Tech Oligarchy

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 00:06:00 +0000

Social media and chat groups are full of calls to boycott corporations like Amazon and Walmart. These calls reflect a deep dissatisfaction with the status quo – and with the idea that people have to accept the economy and politics “as-is.” The aggregation of all our money and power into the hands of a few people in Silicon Valley and Wall Street did not happen on its own – it was a carefully laid plan, which we have the power to undo.

Statement: Amazon Workers and Coalition Respond to Investigation from Senate HELP Committee

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 00:06:01 +0000

The Senate just released a damning investigation into Amazon’s injury crisis, following an 18 month investigation, where investigators examined internal company documents and conducted extensive interviews with former and current workers.

Statement from workers and Athena coalition members:

“The Senate’s investigation into Amazon’s injury crisis is damning, and it demands the full attention of public officials and lawmakers. The report provides crucial evidence that the corporation knows its unsafe pace of work is the cause of life-altering injuries in its warehouses – a link that the corporation has publicly denied for years. Thanks to this investigation we now know that Amazon willfully ignored internal safety recommendations that would have saved workers lifelong pain and suffering. We urge lawmakers and regulators at the state and federal level to use all tools available to finally end Amazon’s injury crisis and support workers who are fighting for better conditions,” stated Ryan Gerety, Director of the Athena Coalition.

Civil society groups slam White House bowing to Big Tech pressure and derailing climate progress over data center expansion

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 02:00:00 +0000

President Biden is reportedly considering using the Defense Production Act to access emergency powers to prioritize big tech’s data center expansion, prioritizing it over the country’s renewable energy transition. If President Biden moves forward, the public and the planet will pay the price in the form of higher utility bills and stalled progress on the country’s climate goals – all on behalf of the wealthiest corporations in the world.

Civil Society Groups Tell White House: Reject Big Tech’s Unchecked Data Center Expansion; Instead, Take Action on Climate Commitments

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 09:00:02 +0000

PRESS RELEASE
Press Contact: press@athenaforall.org

In comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, groups warn Administration against backsliding on corporate concentration and worsening the climate crisis.

This morning, in response to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) request for comments on the country’s data center expansion strategy, 20+ groups, including the Athena Coalition, Piedmont Environmental Council, Institute for Local Self Reliance (ILSR), Public Citizen, Free Press, Good Jobs First, Kairos Action, People’s Action Institute, 350.org, and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), submitted a comment highlighting the need for a new trajectory for energy and technology investments in order to serve the public interest. The groups urge the government to reject big tech’s bids for unchecked data center expansion, and instead take action to address urgent climate commitments.

Coalition Responds to NTIA on Data Center Growth Threatening Climate Progress

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Alan Davidson
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
1401 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20230

Re: Request for comment NTIA–2024–0002

We appreciate the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) undertaking this Request for Comment on the impacts of data center growth across the United States.

Today, a handful of the wealthiest technology corporations are building out energy-hungry data centers at a rate that is outpacing our ability to build renewable energy. This growth threatens to reverse hard-won climate progress made by the Biden-Harris Administration, at a time when we can no longer afford delays. Much of this growth is driven by this handful of corporations racing to dominate artificial intelligence and cloud computing markets in an effort to cement their power into the future. At the same time, key players in our energy system – dominated by investor-owned monopolies and private equity-owned fossil fuel producers – have been willing accomplices, failing to protect ratepayers or prioritize the need for renewable energy infrastructure.

Civil society groups tell the White House to prioritize climate and consumers over AI's energy needs.

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 02:00:00 +0000

Washington, DC — On Friday, the Athena coalition joined other public advocates in calling on the White House to prioritize people and the planet over the interests of tech and energy executives – and to recognize the risk that Big Tech’s AI-fueled data center growth could hurl us further and faster into climate catastrophe.

In neighborhoods across the nation, sprawling data centers packed with row upon row of constantly-humming computers guzzling massive amounts of energy and water are being built that threaten to increase our dependence on dirty energy. Big Tech and Big Energy executives who attend the White House meeting stand to profit from this dangerous overconsumption while workers, consumers and environmental advocates are being shut out of the conversation. The public interest groups’ letter notes that many of the companies at the meeting—like Amazon, Microsoft, OpenAI and Nvidia—are currently being sued by the Biden administration for harming workers and monopolizing industries.

Civil society groups slam White House roundtable between tech and utility executives and urge inclusion of climate and consumer perspectives.

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 02:00:00 +0000

On Thursday, tech and utility executives met with the White House to discuss the growing energy needs of data centers, and the White House followed up with a set of commitments . While the order made vague statements about clean energy needs, it’s clear that the meeting gave Big Tech and for-profit energy companies preferential treatment in deciding energy policy. If this trend continues, working families and the planet will pay the price in the form of higher utility bills and stalled progress on the country’s climate goals.

Press Release: Senate Investigators Find Evidence Amazon Knows its Injury Crisis is Worse than Reported

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

PRESS RELEASE
Press Contact: press@athenaforall.org

STATEMENT from the Athena Coalition on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s interim report on Amazon’s deadly injury crisis:

“Today the HELP Committee released initial findings from its year-long investigation into Amazon’s injury crisis. The Committee found evidence that Amazon knows its total warehouse injury rate is much higher than it has revealed to the public and regulators –– up to 45% of workers are injured during peak times like holidays and Prime Day.

Congress, it is past time to stop Amazon’s injury crisis

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

June 27, 2024

The Honorable Bernie Sanders, Chair
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
428 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Sanders:

We, the undersigned organizations, urge the Committee to move forward Chair Bernie Sanders’ investigation into Amazon’s health and safety crisis by publishing your findings and recommendations. Publishing these findings will be a crucial first step toward holding the company accountable and demonstrating to workers and the public that the Senate is protecting quality jobs.

Statement on Amazon's General Meeting

Wed, 22 May 2024 00:06:00 +0000

*“Amazon’s annual investor meeting will highlight the ways that Amazon is now fully able to flex its monopoly power to maximize profit for investors across several lines of business. This short term, maximalist approach is enriching the company to the detriment of its own products, our economy, and the planet.

Unfortunately, investors concerned with long-term sustainability, human rights, and worker wellbeing have been sidelined and the company has lobbied its largest shareholders to evade accountability and transparency proposals.

Amazon Workers File Federal Charge Alleging Invasive Surveillance

Tue, 21 May 2024 00:06:00 +0000

Amazon’s surveillance, electronic monitoring, and automated control drive unrelenting work rates and interfere with workers’ right to organize, charge claims.

(St, Louis, MO)–––Yesterday, Amazon STL8 warehouse workers with the Missouri Workers Center filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The charge highlights Amazon’s invasive surveillance, electronic monitoring, and automated control of its warehouse workers and alleges that these practices impede workers’ right to organize. The workers filed this charge amidst an injury crisis at Amazon that is driven by the company’s dangerous work rates, which are enforced through Amazon’s surveillance practices.

53 Percent of Amazon Workers Experienced Recent Food Insecurity, New Report Finds

Wed, 15 May 2024 00:06:00 +0000

The Center for Urban Economic Development at the University of Illinois Chicago releases results of 1,484-Amazon worker survey about economic security.

(Chicago, IL)––Today, the Center for Urban Economic Development (CUED) at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) released a new report detailing the results of a survey of 1,484 Amazon workers across 451 facilities in 42 states—the largest nationwide study of Amazon workers to date. The report shows that roughly half of Amazon’s frontline warehouse workers are struggling with food and housing insecurity and being able to pay their bills, with one-third relying on different kinds of public assistance programs.

Athena Coalition Applauds Federal Safety Legislation to Protect Amazon Warehouse Workers, Drivers

Thu, 02 May 2024 00:06:00 +0000

(WASHINGTON, DC)––This afternoon, Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Sherrod Brown, Sen. Bob Casey, and Sen. Tina Smith introduced the Warehouse Worker Protection Act, a bill that would protect all warehouse workers, drivers, subcontractors, and “temp” workers by requiring quota transparency, limiting surveillance, and securing worker rights to organize. This federal bill builds on statewide bills that workers have advocated for in New York, California, Minnesota, and Washington, and directly responds to Amazon’s worker safety crisis.

Fired Google Workers, Including Those Organizing With the No Tech for Apartheid Campaign, File Unfair Labor Practices Charge Against Google for Unlawful Terminations

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:06:00 +0000

(NEW YORK CITY)—Yesterday evening, fired Google workers, including those organizing with the No Tech for Apartheid campaign, filed a complaint with the National Relations Labor Board (NLRB) after Google unlawfully retaliated against them, placing them on administrative leave and/or terminating their jobs.

These forced leaves and terminations came after workers organized a peaceful, non-disruptive protest about the terms and conditions of their work, including their forced contributions to Project Nimbus , Google and Amazon’s joint $1.2 billion contract with Israel, as well as the discrimination, harassment, and censorship of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim workers at Google, in addition to other workers who spoke up against the contract.

Statement from Amazon Workers with the No Tech for Apartheid Campaign in Solidarity with Google Workers Who Were Unjustly Fired

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 00:06:00 +0000

“On Tuesday, April 16th, 2024, in a courageous and selfless act, Google workers, led by their moral obligations, legally stood up to say no to their technologies being used for genocide and entrenching apartheid.

While the world watched Google direct the police to arrest its own employees, for many it was an additional shock to see the company terminate 50 of our peers . Some of those fired were participants in a sit-in to end Project Nimbus, a contract which provides AI technology to the Israeli military. Many others simply used their First Amendment rights to vocalize their opposition to Project Nimbus in a peaceful rally on public property. Google would rather have its own employees arrested than engage with their concerns.

Dozens of NJ Amazon Flex Drivers Rallied Outside Amazon Warehouse to Demand Fair Compensation & Job Safety

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 00:06:00 +0000

Recent incidents, including carjacking, robbery and assault while doing deliveries and dog bites during their routes, further demonstrates that Amazon has failed to protect Flex drivers.

(Woodland Park, NJ) - Today, dozens of New Jersey Amazon Flex Drivers held a rally at the Amazon delivery station in Woodland Park in response to Amazon’s pay cuts, and its disregard of safety for Flex drivers working in New Jersey. Flex drivers deliver Amazon packages to customers in their own vehicles, pay for their own gas and insurance and don’t receive health insurance. They are an essential part of Amazon’s multi-billion dollar last mile delivery empire.

Google Worker Disrupts Google Israel Executive’s Speech During Israeli Tech Surveillance Conference

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 00:06:00 +0000

Dozens of workers gathered outside a Google-sponsored, pro-Israel surveillance conference to protest Amazon and Google’s $1.2 billion cloud contract with Israel, called ‘Project Nimbus’

(New York City, NY)––This morning, a Google Cloud worker and an anti-Zionist Jewish organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace - NYC interrupted Google Israel Managing Director Barak Regev’s speech during an Israeli surveillance conference . Protestors demanded that Amazon and Google drop their $1.2 billion cloud contract with the Israeli military and government, dubbed ‘Project Nimbus ’, and that the companies stop powering the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Community organizations endorsing the action included the Palestinian Youth Movement - NYC, Jewish Voice for Peace - NYC, MPower Change, Al-Awda, American Muslims for Palestine, SALAM, and NYC City Workers for Palestine.

Statement on Amazon's Self-Reported Injury Data

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:53:06 +0000

STATEMENT on Amazon’s self-reported injury data from the Athena Coalition, Missouri Workers Center, Warehouse Worker Resource Center:

Amazon cannot be trusted to keep workers safe, and it cannot be trusted to report its own injury data. The company is under active investigation by OSHA, the Department of Justice, and the Chairman of the Senate HELP Committee. Washington State found that the company has willfully violated worker safety laws in the state. OSHA has cited the corporation multiple times for under- and otherwise mis-reporting its injury data. And, a recent study from the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) suggests that injury rates are far higher than previously understood. Alarmingly, researchers from UIC found that nearly half of Amazon workers report being injured on the job.

Statement from Google Workers Organizing with the No Tech for Apartheid Campaign on Google's Firings of 20+ Additional Workers

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:06:00 +0000

“This evening, in an aggressive and desperate act of retaliation, Google fired over 20 additional workers––including non-participating bystanders during last week’s protests.

These indiscriminate mass firings come after Google already fired 30 workers for their supposed involvement in last week’s historic, coast-to-coast sit-in at Google offices protesting the company’s $1.2 billion contract with the Israeli government and military, dubbed ‘Project Nimbus.’ This group also included workers who did not, contrary to Google’s claims, cause any disruption inside the building.

Statement from the No Tech for Apartheid Campaign

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 00:06:00 +0000

“This afternoon’s bombshell reporting from The Intercept confirms that despite Google’s continued insistence that Project Nimbus is “not directed at highly sensitive, classified, or military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services,” both Google and Amazon are directly colluding with the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).

Project Nimbus, Google and Amazon’s $1.2B cloud contract with Israel, requires Israeli weapons manufacturers including Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to run on Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud—effectively creating a one-stop shop for genocide on the cloud.

Statement on Amazon’s Announcement to End Program Allowing Law Enforcement to Request Ring Doorbell Camera Footage from Users Through Its Neighbors App

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 00:06:00 +0000

“Today Amazon was forced to back down on providing warrantless video access to police departments through its Neighbors app, after tenacious organizing and advocacy of organizations like Fight for the Future, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and MediaJustice. Amazon has quietly built the largest civilian surveillance network in the country by buying competitors, selling devices below cost, making deals with police departments, and boosting sales on the Amazon Marketplace. Despite Amazon backing down on police access to video through Neighbors, we are all under Amazon’s watch as we walk down the street, and we continue to be subjected to law enforcement sidestepping warrant requirements. For years, organizers and activists have fought to beat back the corporation’s covert collusion with the police to violate our rights and civil liberties, and they won’t stop until we end the threat of unbounded surveillance.” stated Ryan Gerety, Director of the Athena Coalition.

Statement on Amazon's Lobbying Spending in 2023

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:06:00 +0000

“Last year, Amazon was one of the single largest corporate lobbying spenders in the United States, spending a whopping $17.8 million to skirt accountability and bend the rules in its favor. Together, big tech spent over $59 million to cloud the facts and dissuade our public agencies and electeds from serving the public interest.

In its lobbying efforts, big tech’s intent is clear: wealthy corporations don’t want public oversight or accountability, and want to continue to operate above the law. From advocating against investigations and lawsuits from the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, to fighting legislation that could undermine their monopolistic business practices, Amazon leads the pack.

500+ Google Workers and Community Activists Protest Company’s Business Relationship with Israel; Claim 'Google Fuels First AI-Powered Genocide'

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:06:01 +0000

Protest Escalates Internal Revolt and Years of Community Opposition to Company’s $1.2 Billion ‘Project Nimbus’ Contract With Israeli Military and Government

(San Francisco, CA)––This evening, at the Google offices in San Francisco, over 500 Google workers and community activists participated in a ‘die in’ to protest the company’s business relationships with Israel. This protest was an escalation of workers’ call for Google and Amazon to drop their $1.2 billion contract with the Israeli military and government, and represents the first action targeting big tech since Israel’s genocidal campaign began on October 7.

Amazon, Artificial Intelligence, and our Tech Futures

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 00:13:28 +0000

In a comment letter to the Biden-Harris administration, our coalition urges the federal government to consider the example of Amazon as it works to ensure new technologies, like artificial intelligence, serve the common good and not corporate interests.

Amazon is a harbinger of a dystopian technological future where corporations can run roughshod over communities, workers, small businesses, and the public. Dominating multiple markets, Amazon has initiated a race to the bottom by worsening working conditions, attacking democratic institutions, increasing emissions not only in its industry, but across the economy, lobbying for weak privacy laws, buying up innovative entrepreneurs to lockout competitors, expanding biometric surveillance, and using its monopoly power to the detriment of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and innovators.

Letter to Senator Schumer on our Tech Futures

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 12:42:00 +0000

October 24, 2023

The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Leader Schumer,

We are workers and civil society organizations, and together, we urge you to protect workers and center their rights as Congress considers the promise and perils of artificial intelligence. Last month, members of Congress led by Senator Markey and Representative Jayapal sent a letter to leading AI corporations demanding answers about the labor conditions of data workers, and the processes by which data workers contribute to training and deploying AI. The contributions of data workers, often invisible to the public, are critical to advancements in AI. The corporations failed to adequately answer the questions posed by members of Congress. We therefore urge you to consider how workers, across sectors, are already impacted by new technologies and respond to their demands.

20+ Groups Tell Congress: Center Worker Rights in AI Policy

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 00:06:01 +0000

Worker groups and civil society sent a letter to Chuck Schumer urging him to address misuses of tech on workers throughout the Senate process.

This morning, 24 organizations sent a letter to Leader Schumer, urging him to center workers and their rights in AI debates in Congress. This letter was sent as Chuck Schumer’s second insight forum commenced. The closed-door forum, according to reporting by Axios, was focused on innovation, and featured 12 industry executives, five leaders in academia, three members of civil society, and one labor leader. This letter adds to growing criticism about the secretive and industry-friendly nature of this process.

Press Release: Athena Coalition Statement on FTC Announcement of Amazon Lawsuit

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 16:53:06 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: press@athenaforall.org

Athena Coalition Statement on FTC Announcement of Amazon Lawsuit

Press Conference

“Amazon demonstrates the dangers of modern tech platform monopolies. We can and should break up Amazon. Amazon has a long history of combining and utilizing its many businesses together as an integrated whole to leverage its power against workers, businesses, and ultimately all of us. When a single corporation has this much power, it will always behave as a bully — it will pick winners and losers, exploit workers, raise prices on consumers, and pollute our planet. Amazon cannot be allowed to write the rules in its own favor and break the law with impunity.

Amazon Labor Union Joins Amazon Tech Workers To Protest Amazon’s Cloud Contracts with Israel at Company’s Annual AWS Summit

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 00:06:00 +0000

Historic protest marks first time Amazon warehouse workers join Amazon tech workers in collective action.

(New York City) – This afternoon, Amazon tech workers were joined by dozens of supporters to protest Amazon’s $1.2 billion contract with the Israeli military and government in front of Amazon’s annual cloud computing conference, the AWS Summit.

Supporters in attendance included: Amazon warehouse workers including co-founders of the Amazon Labor Union, Alphabet tech worker members of the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA, and local human rights activists from MPower Change, Jewish Voice for Peace, Adalah Justice Project, Fight for the Future, and the Athena Coalition.

Worker Organizations and Allies Respond to White House Request for Input on Automated Worker…

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 18:57:28 +0000

Amazon workers are leading the way for White House action on the growing threat of worker surveillance and automated management. Coalition worker organizations and allies submitted this statement to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) making the case for aggressive accountability.

June 29, 2023

Overview: The Biden-Harris administration can stand with working people and stop corporations like Amazon from using automated surveillance and management to undermine worker safety and dignity.

Civil Society Organizations Respond to FTC’s Request for Information on Cloud Computing Business…

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 20:56:24 +0000

Re: Solicitation for Public Comments on the Business Practices of Cloud Computing Providers, Document ID FTC-2023–0028–0001

June 21, 2023

Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20580

Dear Commissioners:

The undersigned civil society organizations are writing in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s Solicitation for Public Comments on the Business Practices of Cloud Computing Providers.¹

We write to convey our concerns about the unchecked consolidation of power over cloud computing infrastructure by a few corporations. In this response, we focus on the unfair business practices used by the most dominant cloud computing vendor — Amazon’s subsidiary Amazon Web Services (AWS) — and the harmful implications for innovators, entrepreneurs, consumers, and our public services that rely on cloud computing. We urge the FTC to use its extensive legal authorities to rein in Amazon’s abuses of power, starting with legal action against AWS and new regulations to ensure fairness and good governance in the cloud computing industry.

Civil Society Organizations Respond to FTC’s Request for Information on Franchise Agreements and…

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 20:47:12 +0000

Re: Solicitation for Public Comments on Provisions of Franchise Agreements and Franchisor Business Practices, Document ID FTC-2023–0026–0001

June 8, 2023

Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20580

Dear Commissioners:

The undersigned civil society organizations are writing in response to the Federal Trade Commission’s Request For Information on franchise agreements and franchisor business practices.¹

We call your attention in particular to the unfair contracts and tactics used by powerful companies such as Amazon and other technology giants against smaller firms and workers. In addition to violating antitrust tenets concerning unfair competition, coercive franchisor and franchisor-like practices suppress worker wages, undermine worker health and safety, and thwart workers from bargaining collectively for better pay and working conditions. We urge the FTC to use its extensive legal authorities to rein in these corporate abuses of power and rule them as categorically or presumptively unlawful vertical restraints under antitrust law.

The Fight Ahead to Breakup Amazon: 2022 Recap

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 12:00:00 +0000

This Congress has taken significant first steps toward reining in Amazon’s power, setting the foundation for Amazon to be broken up once and for all. In early 2020, breaking up Amazon or bringing any meaningful antitrust legislation to the floor was unthinkable — a “radical”, “fringe” idea that seemed partisan at best, and at worst, a non-starter even for legislators avowed to tackling corporate concentration. Yet thanks to the relentless efforts of workers, small businesses, and racial justice and civil rights organizations, this Congress, led by the Judiciary committees, made tremendous strides not only to investigate Big Tech monopolies, but also to move substantial legislation through the House and Senate committees with bipartisan support.

Public Comment on Amazon’s Acquisition of One Medical

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 00:06:00 +0000

Date: December 14th, 2022 To: Oregon Health Authority From: Athena Coalition Re: Public Comment on 005 Amazon-One Medical Transaction

We urge a thorough review of the proposed Amazon acquisition of primary health care provider One Medical, which operates five health care facilities in Oregon and 182 facilities across the United States.

The acquisition of One Medical by Amazon could negatively impact the healthcare system of Oregon and is likely to undermine the shared goals of greater access, equity, affordability, and quality of care. We are specifically concerned that the merger is likely to result in unfair and anticompetitive practices, degrade the quality of care by undermining the working conditions and rights of health care workers, and adversely impact patient privacy and safety.

Comments to the FTC on the Risks of Commercial Surveillance

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 00:06:00 +0000

The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has requested public comments on the prevalence and potential regulation of commercial surveillance practices related to how companies collect, aggregate, protect, use, analyze, and retain consumer data, as well as transfer, share, sell, or otherwise monetize that data in ways that are unfair or deceptive.

The Athena Coalition is submitting comments about the unfair and deceptive practices resulting from Amazon’s unprecedented misuse of surveillance and algorithmic manipulation across its marketplace, within homes and on street sidewalks, within workplaces, and among its platform-based workforce. Athena is a coalition of over fifty local- and national- organizations that include: worker groups, technology policy and anti-monopoly advocates, and economic, environmental, and racial justice organizations.

Letter to Congress: Call In Amazon CEO Andy Jassy to Testify on Warehouse Worker Safety Crisis

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 19:33:54 +0000

September 1, 2022

The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Patty Murray
Chair, Senate Committee on Health, Labor & Pensions
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Richard Burr
Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Health, Labor & Pensions
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Robert “Bobby” C. Scott
Chair, House Committee on Education and Labor
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Open Letter to Shareholders: Amazon cannot continue to disregard worker safety and the rights of…

Wed, 11 May 2022 20:43:32 +0000

Dear Amazon Directors and Shareholders:

We, the undersigned, are members and allies of Athena, a nationwide coalition dedicated to defeating unchecked corporate power and advancing democracy that represents us all. We are writing to you as Amazon investors to share a report we released this month titled, Monitored: How Amazon Undermines the Safety of Workers and Our Communities . We believe this report is particularly relevant now, as Amazon shareholders weigh in ahead of the May 25 Annual Meeting, and hope it provides you with valuable insight this shareholder season.

Monitored: How Amazon Undermines the Safety of Workers and Our Communities (Report)

Tue, 10 May 2022 00:06:00 +0000

Over the last year, Amazon’s needless abuse of power over workers, communities of color, and small businesses put it in the center of investigations, state and federal oversight, legislative action, and civil society campaigns. Amazon’s continued failure to address these abuses is resulting in escalating actions to hold it accountable across major areas of its business operations, including: logistics, the online marketplace, and Amazon Web Services.

Now, in response to Amazon’s continued inaction, investors, warehouse and tech workers, and community members are making the company’s annual meeting into a referendum on whether Amazon will be allowed to continue to disregard worker safety and the rights of communities of color.

Amazon Cyber Monday Deals Even Amazon Won’t Tell You About

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 21:27:23 +0000

Top 6 Amazon #CyberMonday Prime deals.

6. Amazon, the second wealthiest company in the US, bends our local and federal governments to gift itself an astonishing $4.2 billion in public subsidies!

Amazon paid an effective 4.3% corporate tax from 2018–2020 , including -1.2% in 2018 (yes, negative). Jeff Bezos paid a true tax rate of 0.98% between 2014 and 2018. And when they take these subsidies, they build warehouses that drive down local wages, reduce job quality , and introduce massive amounts of new pollution .

Letter to FTC on Corporate Surveillance

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 12:57:48 +0000

Dear Federal Trade Commissioners,

In purchasing smart surveillance devices that record everything we do and say, consumers unknowingly supply Big Tech with endless streams of data. The data collected fuels and solidifies corporate monopolies at the expense of consumers, workers, and communities. The harms caused by this widespread, unregulated corporate surveillance pose a direct threat to the public at large, especially for Black and brown people most often criminalized using surveillance. Given these dangers, we’re calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to use its rulemaking authority to ban corporate use of facial surveillance technology, ban continuous surveillance in places of public accommodation, and stop industry-wide data abuse.

Stop Amazon’s Injury Crisis: End Amazon’s Dangerous and Punitive Worker Surveillance

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 10:51:03 +0000

Amazon injures and discards warehouse workers and delivery drivers at double the industry average. There were a record 24,000 serious injuries at Amazon facilities last year. It is time for lawmakers and regulators to step-in and end the punitive system of constant surveillance that drives the dangerous pace of work at Amazon.

Amazon’s business model is a calculated exploitation of workers, the majority of whom are Black and brown. Amazon’s punishing system monitors workers’ speed or rate, tracks their movements each second with a metric called time off task, and imposes a constant threat of termination. Amazon claims to simply monitor workflow — but in reality, rate and _time off tas_k is used to control physical movements and discipline workers, dictate when or if they can use the bathroom, and has been used to retaliate against worker organizing. A recent investigation in Washington State concluded that this high-pressure system violates the law.

Put Workers over Profits: End Worker Surveillance

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 20:22:35 +0000

Farhiyo Warsame, a warehouse worker, was targeted, surveilled, and fired by Amazon after speaking up about unsafe conditions at work, according to the Awood Center. Amazon tracked Farhiyo’s time in between each small task and used the accumulated extra seconds to justify threats for her eventual termination. Through this “rate” and “time off task” tracking system, Amazon would have you believe it monitors work productivity — but in reality, this system is used to control the physical movements of workers, dictate when or if they can use the bathroom, discipline workers and, in the end, has been used repeatedly to retaliate against workers. It enforces an unreasonable pace of work that leads to the unusually high number of injuries at Amazon.

Silencing of Whistleblowers in the Workplace is a Threat to Public Health

Fri, 01 May 2020 11:59:02 +0000

Given the immediate public health risks, we are calling for an urgent expansion and improved enforcement of legal protections for workers who speak out and take collective action against dangerous workplace conditions that risk exacerbating the spread of COVID-19 in communities. Workers themselves are in the best position to raise health and safety concerns, and if these concerns are ignored, or worse, if workers are retaliated against, it not only impacts those workers and their families, but risks accelerating the current public health crisis.