30 May, 2014
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos Wins ITUC’s World’s Worst Boss Poll
22 May 2014 – (ITUC media release) Jeff Bezos CEO of Amazon was announced as winner of the world’s worst boss at the 3rd International Trade Union Confederation World Congress in Berlin. The ITUC representing 180 million workers, is meeting in Berlin with over 1500 delegates from 161 countries.
Sharan Burrow, General Secretary ITUC said while there are many CEO’s which have bad track records, nine stood out in 2014 as deserving of inclusion in the first poll of World’s Worst Bosses by the global union.
“Corporate power is out of control, it is cowering governments with threats of capital flight. The greed of the 1% is of more interest to our governments than the 99 %. “We decided we would start exposing some of the elements of the worst boss phenomena – undermining democracy, undermining workers’ rights, supporting slavery and kafala.
“Amazon operating in Germany treats its workers as if they are robots. The company makes no secret that within just a few years they will replace workers with robots. A rich American corporation operating globally with disdain for dignity, for rights for working people.
Jeff Bezos represents the inhumanity of employers who are promoting the American corporate model. The message to big business is back off, you are not going to mistreat workers,” said Sharan Burrow.
Over twenty thousand votes were cast for nine bosses, chosen for their abuses of workers’ rights, along with other activities which undermine the interests of working people. From tax avoidance, to corporate bullying or attempts to influence public opinion the rogues gallery of worst bosses represents the worst in global corporate excess.
Amazon has been at the forefront of tax avoidance scams and difficult working conditions.
Warehouse workers walk as much as 15 miles / 24 km a day;
Ambulances regularly wait outside facilities to collect workers;
In Germany Ver.di warehouse workers have been fighting for better wages and conditions.
“Workers at Amazon distribution centres are required to wear digital arm mounted terminals that monitor their every move. There are no agreed protocols about breaks and speed, and a culture of bullying and harassment is rife. Staff are reprimanded just for speaking to one another or even pausing to catch their breath,” said Sharan Burrow.
Dishonorable mentions were awarded to Mr X from a major airline and Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO News Corp.
The CEO of Qatar Airways blamed unions for the global unemployment in an interview with Arabian Business (May 2013) he said “If you did not have unions you wouldn’t have this jobless problem in the western world.”
The World’s Worst Boss poll included:
C. Douglas McMillon, CEO Wal-Mart Stores
Jamie Dimon, CEO JP Morgan Chase
Loyd Blankfein, CEO Goldman Sachs Group
Charles Koch, CEO Koch Industries
Lee Kun-Hee, Chairman Samsung Group
Ivan Glasenberg, CEO Glencore Xstrata
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