Senator Bernie Sanders has sharply criticized Amazon founder Jeff Bezos after it was revealed that Bezos dined with former President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, at Mar-a-Lago on Wednesday night, as Amazon workers staged strikes across the U.S.
Sanders blasted the dinner as the timing coincided with a major walkout by Amazon workers, who are protesting for better wages and working conditions.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sanders condemned Bezos and his partner, Lauren Sanchez, for the high-profile dinner, accusing Bezos of engaging in illegal union-busting activities.
Sanders took aim at the contrast between Bezos’s luxurious dinner and the ongoing labor struggle at Amazon, urging the company to comply with labor laws and negotiate a fair contract with the Teamsters union.
“Jeff Bezos should be negotiating with workers, not dining with Donald Trump,” Sanders wrote. “Amazon must follow the law, respect workers’ rights, and reach a fair deal with the Teamsters.”
The strikes began on Thursday, December 19, when delivery drivers from seven Amazon facilities in New York, California, Illinois, and Georgia walked off the job.
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The workers, backed by the Teamsters union, had previously set a Sunday deadline for Amazon to begin contract negotiations, which the company failed to meet.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has previously accused Amazon of unlawfully interfering with union activities.
As tensions continue to rise between the company and organized labor, workers are demanding a labor agreement that includes fair wages, improved working conditions, and better protections.
The workers’ actions reflect a growing discontent with Amazon’s labor practices, with the strike seen as one of the most significant labor movements at the company in recent years.
Sanders, a long-time advocate for workers’ rights, has been vocal in his opposition to Bezos and Amazon’s handling of labor relations.
