Amazon executive bashed for tweets mocking Bernie Sanders

Vermont senator has thrown support behind efforts to unionise Alabama warehouse

Amazon executive bashed for tweets mocking Bernie Sanders (Gety/iStock)

An Amazon executive’s attempts to mock Senator Bernie Sanders on Twitter misfired and saw him inundated with negative news stories about the internet giant.

The company’s consumer chief Dave Clark took shots at Mr Sanders ahead of his planned visit to its Alabama warehouse on Friday where employees are trying to unionize.

The Vermont lawmaker has come out in support of the union and been critical of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and his vast personal fortune of $184bn.

“I welcome @SenSanders to Birmingham and appreciate his push for a progressive workplace,” Mr Clark tweeted at the lawmaker.

“I often say we are the Bernie Sanders of employers, but that’s not quite right because we actually deliver a progressive workplace.

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“So if you want to hear about $15 an hour and health care, Senator Sanders will be speaking downtown.

“But if you would like to make at least $15 an hour and have good health care, Amazon is hiring.”

Former labor secretary Robert Reich, and Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants, were among those to take shots at Mr Clark on social media.

“Forcing workers to urinate in bottles. Firing pregnant women for taking too many bathroom breaks. Hiring analysts to monitor ‘labor organizing threats’. Making employees attend mandatory anti-union meetings. This is what a senior VP of Amazon calls a “progressive workplace,” tweeted Mr Reich.

“Sick. Out of touch arrogant greedy Bs. $15 is the floor and it’s pathetic for the work people do in inhuman conditions. You won’t even let people use the elevators because that’s saved for product. Reminds me of mine owners 100 years ago more concerned about the mules than men,” tweeted Ms Nelson.