In 'Disgusting' Move, Jeff Bezos Abruptly Cuts Health Benefits for Nearly 2,000 Part-Time workers...

[guillaumeb]

In 'Disgusting' Move, Jeff Bezos Abruptly Cuts Health Benefits for Nearly 2,000 Part-Time Whole Foods Workers

From the article:

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos on Thursday cut benefits for part-time workers at his grocery chain Whole Foods, drawing criticism from the left for a move that could leave thousands of people without health insurance.
"Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world," Boston-based activist Jonathan Cohn said on Twitter. "This is disgusting."

"Recall that one of Bezos's first acts as publisher of the Washington Post was to cut his staff's retirement benefits."
—writer Elon Green

"We are providing team members with resources to find alternative healthcare coverage options, or to explore full-time, healthcare-eligible positions starting at 30 hours per week," a Whole Foods spokesperson told Peterson. "All Whole Foods Market team members continue to receive employment benefits including a 20% in-store discount."

To read more:

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/09/13/disgusting-move-jeff-bezos-abruptly-cuts-health-benefits-nearly-2000-part-time-whole?cd-origin=rss&utm_term=AO&utm_campaign=Daily%20Newsletter&utm_content=email&utm_source=Daily%20Newsletter&utm_medium=Email

The richest sociopath in the world needs to get even richer by stealing healthcare from the lowest paid of his employees.

Remind me again about the convenience and low cost of shopping with Amazon, but remember that those low prices come at a high cost for the US working class.

[madaboutharry]

1. There is something wrong with him.

[guillaumeb]

2. In a word....

greed.

[Joe941]

9. Aka capitalism.

[guillaumeb]

11. And a predatory form of capitalism. eom

[Raven123]

3. Sadly The Amazon behemoth has overwhelmed its competition

I try to shop local, but often just can’t get what I need.

[guillaumeb]

4. And this is removing competition.

Allowing Amazon and WalMart to become the 21st century company store.

[napi21]

5. I'm not supporting Bezos decision. It's wrong to take away benefits from employees, but

most part-time positions do not have many, or no benefits. That's one reason a lot of businesses only give their employees 20 or so hours a week, so they don't have to pay them benefits.

[guillaumeb]

6. Bezos, like the Walton family,

could easily make all of his employees full time, living wage employees. He chooses to not do so. In my view, he is a tax avoiding, taxpayer subsidized sweatshop owner for the 21st century.

[Hoyt]

14. Apparently, many of these are employees who chose part-time work.

I don’t like the idea of taking benefits away, though.

[guillaumeb]

19. Or some of his employees.

But my opinion of Bezos remains.

[uponit7771]

23. +1

[Freethinker65]

7. Evil.

Look. I get that for employees working part time, providing healthcare, or the option of a buy in, often costs the company more than the wages, but we are talking about 2000 employees at Whole Foods where lots of people shop and pay higher prices because they feel the employees are treated well.
Allowing employees to be on the plan if they increase work to 30 hours/week as an alternative is great, but there are some hardworking employees that won't be able to commit to that. I pretty much avoid shopping at Whole Foods anyway, but now have less reason to shop there.

I would love to be able to work part time and buy into an employee provided health care plan (or Medicare!) when I lose my current insurance from my husband's employer once he retires. Having affordable health insurance tied to your place of work is insane.

[guillaumeb]

8. Agreed on both of the issues that you raised.

Bezos is getting rich at the expense of US taxpayers, and his workers,

Medicare for All is the common sense solution to a problem that is a problem only in the US.

[CDerekGo]

10. Knew I avoided

Whole Foods and Amazon shopping for a reason. Can add another reason to the list. While I still have the Amazon 'app' on my phone, I simply use it as a guideline as to WHAT NOT TO PAY. Most times I'm able to find better deals, with lower shipping costs on eBay. I'll gladly give my business to small businesses selling on eBay, rather than Amazon any day.

[guillaumeb]

12. Excellent advice. eom

[MichMan]

27. Do those businesses you frequent instead of Amazon....

....pay wages and benefits to their employees that exceed Amazon's?

Do they pay federal, state and local taxes? What about unemployment and workmans comp?

[athena]

31. I've been boycotting Amazon and its companies for several years now.

I buy my books from Powell's and Biblio. As for other purchases, I have to say that avoiding Amazon has helped me reduce the amount of unnecessary junk I buy. I go to Whole Foods only very rarely, when I need something no other store carries.

[safeinOhio]

13. Feels his job is to bring

value to share holders. You’ll never guess who is one of the larges share holders is.

[guillaumeb]

20. Please enlighten me.

I will wait.

[Yavin4]

15. Bezos needs a bigger yacht. n/t

[Jeffersons Ghost]

16. K&R And I used to like the Washington Post. n/t

[obnoxiousdrunk]

17. Had no idea

that part time workers get healthcare. Not in these parts of the woods.

[oregonjen]

21. Costco chooses to offer their part time employees benefits including health insurance

[athena]

32. Why should part-time workers not get health-care?

Aren't they as human as full-time workers? Don't the vast majority of them have to work multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet?

This is why we need single-payer health care. Health care should be a human right. It shouldn't depend on one's employment status. If you think about it, it's Ayn-Randian that it should.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

33. Where did I say

they shouldn't ? Most part time workers just don't get it.

[moondust]

18. Greed kills.

Stephen Hawking: Greed And Stupidity Are What Will End The Human Race

[Blue Owl]

22. Bezobub can go to hell

[Takket]

24. The biggest problem isn't that CEOs do this shit

It is that they get away with it.

Medicare option for all with sensible tax on your paycheck plus corporate tax from people like amazon and now all these people can have health care and Bezos doesn’t get to decide

[guillaumeb]

25. I am absolutely in agreement.

And tax law reform so Bezos' company cannot escape taxation.

[still_one]

26. I am sure no one here buys anything from Amazon, or utilizes their services

to sell their books

[Blue_true]

28. I use Amazon for a lot of personal stuff, simply because I can't find it locally.

I remember last year, I went into a local computer store for a simple item, did not have it. I tried Best Buy and Staples, didn't have it. Finally I tried Amazon and found the item in a minute and had it in my hands in four days.

[still_one]

30. I suspect more folks here do it for more than just because than can't find it locally

[guillaumeb]

29. Especially that last part!!! eom