Rep. Weir Doesn’t Buy False Statements Made About Amazon Warehouse

HARTFORD – State Representative Steve Weir (R-Hebron), Ranking Member of the legislature’s Labor Committee, criticized inflammatory comments made about the working conditions at Amazon’s fulfillment center in Windsor by Governor Ned Lamont, Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, and union representatives.

The comments, made today during a press conference at the Teamsters Local 443 facility in New Haven, called into question Amazon’s practices, most notably they indicated the exploitation of workers, unrealistic quotas, and alleged employees are unable to use the bathroom or eat due to the fear of being retaliated against.

“It wasn’t that long ago, two years to be exact, when Governor Lamont was celebrating Amazon’s partnership with Connecticut and now, he’s bashing them in public after they’ve firmly planted their roots here,” Rep. Weir said. “As I’ve said many times, I fully support employers and employees entering into a contract with one another without government intervention. I toured this Amazon facility with other members of the Labor Committee last month, and it’s one of the most impressive facilities and operations I’ve ever seen. The picture of a volatile, hostile, and unsafe environment that the governor and others are attempting to paint couldn’t be further from the actual truth.”

Weir added, “If Governor Lamont and party leadership claim they want to encourage business investment in Connecticut, the Governor’s mixed messaging is a lousy way to do it.”

The press conference highlights the push from the Governor and Labor Committee Democrats to pass SB-1254, An Act Establishing Additional Protections for Warehouse Workers, as part of the Governor’s budgetary recommendations.

The bill passed out of the Labor Committee on party lines last month and has been tabled for the Senate calendar.