Pranama Jayatissa on Unionizing Amazon
"Cause I'm not scared of no Jeff Bezos, no Pope. Nobody's above me on this earth. And I have got nothing to lose."
We mentioned in our last newsletter Amazon workers are aiming to formalize their second union in Staten Island — this time at LDJ5. Workers are voting this week at tables set up in front of the warehouse until the 30th. We have continued to go back to learn from workers about what they need, what the internal sentiments are toward unionizing, and how this historic moment feels. After all — this is about people.
Yesterday we talked to Pranama Jayatissa, who has been an Amazon employee at LDJ5 since November 2020, about her vocal stance for ALU.
How's your day going? How are you feeling?
Good. Bad. Angry, frustrated. Very overwhelmed, but I wouldn't have it any other way because I was born to do this. I was born to be the voice of the people who don't really have a voice, you know? Those who cannot really speak on behalf of themselves.
I overheard you say that you were considering voting no at first.
Yeah.
Why?
Well, at some point you are given the wisdom that makes you realize just how manipulated you have been for the longest time. I'm ashamed that I said what I said. I really am. And I'm normally not one to admit I was wrong. This is the first time, I guess. (laughs) But, my son, and everybody around me, have been trying to put me on the right path. And, you know, here I am now and there is no going back.
No matter how many times they [Amazon] try to say, “give us another chance.” No. It goes even beyond Amazon. Look at this world. You all had centuries to get it together, to do right by people. You didn't.
Was there a critical piece of info that you learned that made all of that obvious to you?
Actually, yeah. The more I am asked this question, the more I realize that there was a moment of realization. I had a boss at McDonald's. He told me his father used to get paid $5,000 an hour to negotiate and told me how stressful that was for him. At first, I didn't really pay that any mind. And then later I was like, do you realize what you get to complain about? And do you realize what, as a mom, that means? If I suffer, that means not being able to send my son to school with the kind of nutritious food he needs. You complain about how stressful it is to get paid $5,000 to be a negotiator?
Right.
That is ridiculous. And these people, these Amazon workers, they just — they're miserable. Who wouldn't be miserable? They work their asses off and they are treated like imbeciles. As soon as the election started happening, they gave us donuts and cookies and brownies and whatnot. The audacity of them to think that people can be fooled like that…
And, I mean, people can actually be, because this has been going on for so long. People's brains are trained to think that this is okay and that there's no way out, you know? It's complete, utter BS.
What's the vibe inside — like of the workers? What's the tone been like?
Well some of them, the union-busters, I almost feel like they've been paid by Amazon, right? They go like above and beyond to be like extra. This person was screaming at the top of her lungs "GO VOTE." It's just so fake.
These union busters are running away from me now. They're talking in secrecy. Whatever I say is out in the open, out loud. Everybody can hear it. So what is your secrecy about? Why can't you answer my questions nowadays? Because before I became pro-union they were like, "We appreciate you”, and now all of a sudden they can't even face me. They run away. It's almost demonic how the entire team, Rebecca and union busters, manipulates people. And now I see that.
First, they said that they were not going to tell us how to vote. Now, there are humongous posters everywhere in bright colors, almost like a warning, that say “Vote No.”
What is their reasoning? Why do they tell you that you should be voting no?
They don't say that. And, yeah, exactly. Why not? Why not? Why are you so afraid of people unionizing, people coming together? It's a democracy, right? That's pretty much what it is. People collect saying this is what we need. And why are you so scared of it? If you're so about the employees, you should be happy about this? Why are you afraid to negotiate and meet us in the middle? Why?
They are spending so much money. The banners, the people... I mean they got a whole team there to stop people from getting together and say, no, we deserve better and these are our demands. It boggles my mind.
They try to scare people and use their weaknesses. You know, the fact that they have families, the fact that they have to put food on the table. It's completely ridiculous. They have people, a few people that they have picked to be especially feisty, in front of the voting tents. And they are talking bad about unions and spreading misinformation. They don't even know what they're talking about. And I go and talk to the NLRB and say isn’t this electioneering? And they're like, no, no. Then I feel like, okay, you know what? Jeff Bezos probably has money to buy all these agents at that place too. It's so much manipulation.
It's so much pressure put on people because they single you out. Some people are scared to kinda be seen or talk with me because they know I'm very vocal and they know if people talk to me for a long time, I am going to get them to vote yes.
Has the sense of community or camaraderie changed at all? Do you feel like it's bringing people together in a positive way or is it more illuminating your individual power?
I believe it's actually working better than I thought it ever would. And I'm kind of mad at myself that I didn't start this myself truth be told. Cause I'm not scared of no Jeff Bezos, no Pope, nobody's above me on this earth. And I have got nothing to lose. And even if I lose whatever I have, I will still be the happiest, most blessed woman on earth, you know? So people need to realize, that whatever I am saying is not because I am gaining anything or losing anything, but because what's wrong is wrong and somebody has to point it out and say, this is wrong. And apart from Amazon too, none of this is right.
Do you feel like you're seeing people change their minds as they are learning more about this?
Yeah. I mean, it's like a dark forest and I'm kind of shedding some light and people are at least seeing that there's a path. Whether they choose to go on it or not, at least they know there is a path. At least they know there is somewhere to go.
I'm ready to do this for as long as it takes. If my voice can be used to put a stop to this oppression, this modern-day slavery that people don't even realize. The rich get richer, and the poor people suffer even more.
I mean, for example, Amazon has this program where they offer to pay your college tuition fee. They said a hundred percent college tuition fee will be paid. I was so happy. I thought it was a great program. They don't even require them to work for you after they finish college.
I thought that was great, but then, I was like, forget about it. People need to live and survive today. It is getting hard to survive day-to-day. I can't talk about other people and their budget and whatnot, but, I can say that as a single mom, I cannot even fit my expenses into my budget. It's impossible. And that is living with the bare minimum, right.
And, on top of that, the college program itself is a lie. The full line reads "a hundred percent tuition paid up to $5,250 a year." That sentence itself is bullshit. Where does the hundred percent come? It is manipulation.
The union-busters buy into it and bend the knee, and now they are giving me the stink eye? I'm like, don't look at me. Don't look at me dirty. I can look at you 10 times dirtier than that. They play dirty, but I'm brutally honest. I tell them, straight to their faces, you look demonic. Your face looks demonic. Yeah. I'm serious. People laugh. I might have a negative balance on my account, but I still walk around like I own everything. That's the kind of mentality that not even $177 billion can buy.
That's right. How old is your son?
He's 13.
13. So does he get what's going?
Oh my gosh, yes. He is so proud. He's a man of few words, but I know he's very, very, proud. He is light years ahead of me. I believe he's God walking the earth. He's my savior. So for him to say, “We've been waiting for you to get it together mommy”, it is the most joyous thing I can think of.
I'm sure he's so proud of you. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you for talking with me.
My only other thing is there's God the father, they say. There's God, the son, they say. What happened to God, the mother? There's definitely God, the mother as well.