Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is throwing his support behind Amazon workers in Alabama that are attempting to unionize. He cited Amazon's "woke" corporate decisions that negatively impact conservatives as a reason.
"For decades, companies like Amazon have been allies of the left in the culture war, but when their bottom line is threatened they turn to conservatives to save them," the senator wrote in a USA Today OpEd on Friday. "Republicans have rightly understood the dangers posed by the unchecked influence of labor unions. Adversarial relations between labor and management are wrong. They are wrong for both workers and our nation’s economic competitiveness."
"But the days of conservatives being taken for granted by the business community are over," Rubio wrote bluntly. "Here’s my standard: When the conflict is between working Americans and a company whose leadership has decided to wage culture war against working-class values, the choice is easy — I support the workers. And that’s why I stand with those at Amazon’s Bessemer warehouse today."
The Florida senator took to Twitter to share a video briefly describing his view on Amazon employee's efforts to unionize.
"Let me get this right. Amazon gets to be the most woke corporation on the planet. Every day they're proving their wokeness, right? Banning books, not allowing traditional charities to participate in Amazon Smile, denying President Trump access to Amazon web services and denying his campaign that."
The senator said he regularly receives messages about how Amazon is being "woke." Rubio said he doesn't take an issue with the corporation deciding to be "woke." What he does have a problem with is Amazon then coming back and asking for help from the very people their "wokeness" has impacted.
"The problem is, when it comes to tax cuts, then, then they want our help," he explained. "When It comes to, 'Oh, they're trying to unionize us and we have to pay workers more. then they want our help."
"If you have a union problem, if you think the taxes for corporations like yours, the biggest in the world are too high, well why don't you go get your woke, liberal, leftist friends, and have them help you?" Rubio asked rhetorically.
Unionization efforts are taking place at the corporation's Bessemer, Alabama warehouse. On March 29, roughly 5,800 employees will vote on whether or not to form a union. If passed, this would be the retail giant's first union.
According to NPR, the possibility of unionizing in Alabama has prompted employees in other locations throughout the country to inquire about starting their own union.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) March 13, 2021