USA: Amazon says it's spending $4 billion this quarter on COVID-19 incl. worker protections like testing, right before workers plan to strike
USA: Amazon says it's spending $4 billion or more this quarter on COVID-19 including worker protections like testing, right before workers plan to strike, 30 April 2020
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos told investors to 'take a seat' as he told them that he's dedicating the entire current quarter's $4 billion profit and then some to COVID-19 related expenses.
He said that much of those expenses relate to how the company has been protecting warehouse workers.
COVID-19-related worker protection expenses include the creation of its own COVID-19 test, which Amazon's CFO says will cost $1 billion this year.
It's worth pointing out that the $4 billion in expenses isn't solely dedicated to worker safety. It includes lots of other items such as hiring 175,000 new warehouse workers and some charitable donations to the community.
Meanwhile, some unhappy front line workers across Amazon, Whole Foods as well as Walmart, FedEx, Target and Instacart, are planning to strike on [May 1] over working conditions.
[requires Business Insider Prime account]