When I read the article “Westmoreland officials hopeful Amazon warehouse portends future growth” (Aug. 16, TribLIVE), I had mixed feelings. New jobs for the area are always welcome. On the other hand, Amazon comes with baggage. Its anti-union stance is legendary. The workers in New York voted for a union over a year ago, and Amazon is stalling and battling with legal actions. In 2022 Amazon spent $14.2 million in a nationwide campaign to destroy union organizing.

Then there is its troubling history of worker abuse. Amazon has been fined multiple times for failing to provide a safe workplace. Their employees have a much higher rate of injury than other comparable workplaces.

The Guardian reports that the communities around Amazon warehouses pay the price in pollution, noise and destruction of infrastructure.

The biggest negative is financial. Forbes reports that the return on investment for Amazon subsidies is dismal. By their calculations, $1 million in subsidies created 23 jobs, or government spends over $43,000 for a single job. It would cost taxpayers less to just pay those workers a salary and not subsidize Amazon. We are giving taxpayer subsidies to a man and his company who are worth billions while paying little or no taxes.

Amazon had been looking for a warehouse in Southwest Pennsylvania for years. I am guessing that they might have moved to our area without subsidies and with a living wage for all employees. Our local government must do better for its citizens.

Sandy Kremer

Youngwood

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