The Amazon News Twitter account on Wednesday responded to Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan’s (D) criticisms of the company’s alleged workplace mistreatment, writing, “You don’t really believe the peeing in bottles thing, do you?”
Pocan tweeted late Wednesday in response to a tweet from Dave Clark, Amazon’s CEO of worldwide consumer, who had tweeted a series of remarks aimed at criticisms from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
In the tweets, Clark claimed his company was a “progressive workplace,” adding it was the “Bernie Sanders of employers, but that’s not quite right because we actually deliver a progressive workplace.”
Pocan took issue with those comments.
“Paying workers $15/hr doesn’t make you a ‘progressive workplace’ when you union-bust & make workers urinate in water bottles,” Pocan responded.
Amazon News swiftly jumped in, writing, “You don’t really believe the peeing in bottles thing, do you? If that were true, nobody would work for us. The truth is that we have over a million incredible employees around the world who are proud of what they do, and have great wages and health care from day one.”
“We hope you can enact policies that get other employers to offer what we already do,” the account added.
Several online users criticized Amazon News’s response, with some accusing the account of attempting to gaslight Pocan or not believing its own workers.
“And yes, I do believe your workers. You don’t?” Pocan said, responding to Amazon News.
As far back as 2018, many Amazon workers have said that they are forced to urinate into plastic bottles instead of going to the restroom during shifts, one of several workplace mistreatments that workers have publicly complained about. Pregnant workers have also said they are forced to stand for hours on end and are targeted for termination by the company.
Internet entrepreneur and fair-wage advocate Dan Price responded to Amazon News, writing, “You killed so many small businesses that you’re now the only employer in many towns. People don’t quit because that would mean going hungry.”