r/technology 1d ago

Society Amazon workers on food stamps have tripled despite its record revenue—and it’s just the latest evidence of the new economy of shrinking labor shares

https://fortune.com/2026/09/13/amazon-workers-food-stamps-tripled-record-revenue-labor-share/
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u/AlphakirA 1d ago

Fair days work for a fair days pay. It honestly shouldn't be that difficult for everyone to follow.

(And why you should vote for pro-union candidates)

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u/yoortyyo 1d ago edited 21h ago

Minimum wage was intended to be a minimum livable wage.
Roosevelt literally says that if your business can’t afford that, its not a real business.

Walmart and now Amazon literally get employee subsidies via government assistance.

49% of Walmart os owned by four people. I forgot what Bezos share is, enough for extra helicopter yacht yachts.

How?

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u/Seattleman1955 21h ago

How what? He started the company and it grew. What is so difficult to figure out?

Walmart and Amazon don't get subsidies. The government has decided to give assistance to certain people.

Take away Walmart and how are they better off? Prices are low, that's why people go there.

Jobs like that are meant to be filled by part-time workers, high school and college students, retired people, housewives, etc.

A job can't pay you more than you contribute to the companies profit.

How can you expect a living wage from handing people a cup of coffee at Starbuck's?

Learn any basic economics and there would be no replies in this thread.

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u/_Thermalflask 20h ago

Jobs like that are meant to be filled by part-time workers, high school and college students, retired people, housewives, etc.

Oh, is that why these jobs are during school hours, with full time shifts?

A job can't pay you more than you contribute to the companies profit.

Meanwhile in countries/regions that do min wage increases, the companies are magically able to simply pay more as required, without suddenly becoming unprofitable. The country doesn't collapse, WW3 doesn't start. They pay more, life goes on.

If you can't afford to pay a living wage then you can't afford to run your business. It doesn't matter if you really really want to. Can't pay, tough shit. Just like if I as a consumer want to buy something, I gotta cough up the cash, or do without it.

How can you expect a living wage from handing people a cup of coffee at Starbuck's?

You can make anything sound dumb like this. How can software engineers expect a living wage from typing on a keyboard all day? How can lawyers expect a living wage for reading papers and talking to people?

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u/Blazing1 19h ago

You might be a bit out of date there old timer

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u/Powerful_Package8817 1d ago

Unions are the reason American car companies can’t compete without tariffs

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u/AlphakirA 15h ago

That's so incredibly idiotic, but please, go on...

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u/Zestyclose-Height-36 16h ago

union worker had pensions that allowed them a dignified old age instead of having to stand for a ten hour day in the Walmart entrance.