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WORLD CHANGING IDEAS

50 organizations tell Amazon: You can leave New York, but you can’t come here

Workers’ rights groups from across the country write a letter to Jeff Bezos saying they’ll fight an Amazon move into their cities.

50 organizations tell Amazon: You can leave New York, but you can’t come here

[Image: cherezoff/iStock]

BY Ruth Reader1 minute read

Rumors swirled last week that Amazon was growing tired of battling New York officials over its potential new headquarters in Queens. But if it’s not in New York, that means it’s going somewhere else. So a group of 50 organizations from around the country have signed a letter letting CEO Jeff Bezos know that they aren’t interested in the Everything Store coming to their cities either.

The list of signatories appear to be largely comprised of workers’ rights groups, so it’s no surprise that cities like Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles are represented (though the letter does not actually say which cities are represented). “Our cities are for the many, and we’re committed to making them places where our families thrive, where working people get a fair return on our work, and where we pitch in together for a better future for us all,” the letter reads.

The “Dear Jeff,” note comes as Amazon continues to battle with public officials in New York over a nearly $3 billion incentive package that Mayor Bill de Blasio, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and the Economic Development Corporation have offered the company to come to Queens. Other local officials weren’t asked to weigh in on the deal, and have concerns about Amazon’s visceral opposition to unionization. At a recent hearing to discuss the terms of the deal, Amazon’s Brian Huseman, Amazon’s VP of public policy issued a subtle warning, “We want to invest in a community that wants us.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ruth Reader is a writer for Fast Company. She covers the intersection of health and technology. More


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