Lawmakers from 34 countries back campaign vs Amazon

Over 400 lawmakers from 34 countries have signed to support a campaign dubbed “Make Amazon Pay” launched by a coalition of over 50 organizations, which demands improvements to working conditions and full tax transparency.

The campaign via a letter to Amazon.com Inc boss Jeff Bezos claims that Amazon has “dodged and dismissed" debts to workers, societies, and the planet.

The campaign was launched on Nov. 27 during the annual Black Friday shopping bonanza.

Among the signatories were Congresswomen from the US Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, former UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, the European Parliament Vice President Heidi Hautala.

The letter urged Bezos to change policies and priorities and to do right to workers, their communities, and our planet.

Amazon, which has faced criticism for its tax practices, insists its profits remain low due to the highly-competitive nature of retail.

It added that it has a low margin business and makes heavy investments.

While it accepted scrutiny from policymakers, it noted that many of the matters raised stemmed from misleading assertions.

Amazon claims a strong track record of supporting employees by providing safe working conditions, competitive wages, and great benefits.

It added that it supports customers and communities, pointing out the billions of dollars it pays in taxes globally. The company also has the goal of becoming net carbon neutral by 2040.

The pandemic has boosted Amazon's sales, as restrictions against the spread of the coronavirus sent consumers online.