• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Social Security's 2032 deadline puts a 22% cut on the table — but Washington has way less room to negotiate than 1983

2

CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea

3

Iran proved it can close the Strait of Hormuz, but the U.S. is advertising very loudly that the world's top superpower can at least punch open a hole

1

Social Security's 2032 deadline puts a 22% cut on the table — but Washington has way less room to negotiate than 1983

2

CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea

3

Iran proved it can close the Strait of Hormuz, but the U.S. is advertising very loudly that the world's top superpower can at least punch open a hole
FinanceAmazon

Amazon is ridiculed for trying to motivate Easter Sunday workers with a raffle to win water and a bag of chips

Sophie Mellor
By
Sophie Mellor
Sophie Mellor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Sophie Mellor
By
Sophie Mellor
Sophie Mellor
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 19, 2022, 8:03 AM ET
Jeff Bezos
Amazon’s penny-ante raffle garnered a strong Internet response and heightened anger toward Jeff Bezos’s anti-union stance.Michael M. Santiago—Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Amazon workers arriving at one company warehouse on Easter Sunday were greeted with a cheerful message from management.

As a holiday incentive, there would be a contest, and a raffle. Those who picked products above a certain speed would be entered into a draw to win a goody bag.

“Thank you all for coming in on Easter Sunday!” the note said. “Good Luck everyone and THANK YOU!!!”

The grand prize? Water or soda plus a candy bar or bag of chips, worth roughly $2. An amount that when compared to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s hourly haul generated a wave of ridicule from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and many others across social media.

Salary disparity

Bezos, the second-richest man on earth after Elon Musk, has a net worth of $177 billion as calculated by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The Amazon founder’s net worth increased by $8,961,187 a day—roughly 315 times Amazon’s $28,466 median annual worker pay—according to a 2019 report by Business Insider.

Each minute that technically netted him $152,000, more than three times what the median U.S. worker makes in a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Amazon workers were greeted with this message on Easter Sunday.@BusinessInsider calculated Jeff Bezos receives $152K/minute, while workers slog through a 10-12 hour shift for the chance to win a $2 snack raffle. pic.twitter.com/yezIzc5vtk

— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) April 18, 2022

Calls for union grow stronger

The raffle garnered a strong Internet response and heightened anger toward Amazon’s anti-union behavior.

Sen. Bernie Sanders called out Amazon’s “corporate greed” and mentioned Bezos’s $500 million yacht and $175 million Beverly Hills estate. He left out Bezos’s $16 million apartment on New York’s Fifth Avenue, however, as well as his four condos overlooking Central Park in the same city, his 10-bedroom house in Washington, D.C., and the 30,000-acre ranch he owns in Texas.

Corporate greed is Jeff Bezos becoming $152,000 richer a MINUTE, owning a $500 million yacht & a $175 million Beverly Hills estate, while Amazon employees who worked over 10 hours on Easter Sunday might be "lucky enough” to win a $2 snack pack. Yes. Amazon workers need a union. https://t.co/8BH0xmuYqP

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) April 19, 2022

Dan Price, the founder of credit card processing company Gravity Payments who famously raised the minimum salary for employees at his company to $70,000 and lowered his own wage from $1.1 million to the same amount, also called out Amazon’s work practices.

yeah but they said THANK YOU in all caps. That sounds like a caring environment!

— Dan Price (@DanPriceSeattle) April 18, 2022

For his part, author and journalist Brian Merchant sarcastically challenged Amazon’s fierce attempts to shut down any unionization at the company.

Amazon is really stepping up their union-busting game here—what worker would want to bother organizing if they're already getting [checks notes] a chance to win a $2 snack pack if they do uninterrupted backbreaking labor for 10-12 straight while working on Easter Sunday https://t.co/urNUBf9GgW

— Brian Merchant (@bcmerchant) April 18, 2022

Amazon workers at a New York warehouse voted on April 1 to join the independent Amazon Labor Union (ALU), a major milestone that could force the retail tech giant to become more accountable for workplace injuries and other employee complaints. Calls for unionization have been growing across the U.S., where Amazon is the second-largest employer.

Amazon has poured resources into fighting unionization efforts, however, regarding unions as an obstacle to business flexibility and warehouse efficiency. After the New York warehouse unionization vote, Amazon said it was disappointed in the outcome. “We believe having a direct relationship with the company is best for our employees,” wrote Amazon in a statement about the results, adding, “We’re evaluating our options, including filing objections based on the inappropriate and undue influence by the NLRB that we and others (including the National Retail Federation and U.S. Chamber of Commerce) witnessed in this election.”

On May 2, a second Amazon facility in New York—the LBJ5 sortation center on Staten Island—will hold a union election over joining the ALU.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story indicated Jeff Bezos earned $8,961,187 a day. The article has been updated to reflect this is the change to his net worth, not his salary.

Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you.

About the Author
Sophie Mellor
By Sophie Mellor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Top analyst: 71% of SpaceX’s $2 trillion value rests on AI. Grok’s numbers Are ‘almost comical’ by comparison
Startups & VentureSpaceX
Top analyst: 71% of SpaceX’s $2 trillion value rests on AI. Grok’s numbers Are ‘almost comical’ by comparison
By Mia OsmonbekovJune 15, 2026
2 hours ago
Shotwell stands and smiles widely
InvestingSpace X
Here’s how SpaceX’s debut stacks up against other major IPOs
By Jacqueline MunisJune 15, 2026
4 hours ago
Iran emerges from war with its economy in free fall and inflation on some food items above 400%. If the regime doesn’t fix it, ‘there will be trouble’
EconomyIran
Iran emerges from war with its economy in free fall and inflation on some food items above 400%. If the regime doesn’t fix it, ‘there will be trouble’
By Jason MaJune 15, 2026
6 hours ago
The First National Bank of America logo on a green layered background.
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
First National Bank of America CD rates 2026: High APYs and terms up to 10 years
By Joseph HostetlerJune 15, 2026
8 hours ago
wh
Middle EastWhite House
The U.S. says Iran will give up its uranium. Iran says it won’t. They’re due to sign a deal on Friday
By Munir Ahmed, Will Weissert, Sam Mednick and The Associated PressJune 15, 2026
9 hours ago
Top CD rates from major banks June 15, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on June 15, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Joseph HostetlerJune 15, 2026
9 hours ago

Most Popular

Social Security's 2032 deadline puts a 22% cut on the table — but Washington has way less room to negotiate than 1983
Personal Finance
Social Security's 2032 deadline puts a 22% cut on the table — but Washington has way less room to negotiate than 1983
By John W. Diamond and The ConversationJune 12, 2026
3 days ago
CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea
Success
CEO of $20 billion AI firm Perplexity says the secret to success is ‘sleeping with that fear’ that your competitor will steal your idea
By Preston ForeJune 13, 2026
3 days ago
Iran proved it can close the Strait of Hormuz, but the U.S. is advertising very loudly that the world's top superpower can at least punch open a hole
Energy
Iran proved it can close the Strait of Hormuz, but the U.S. is advertising very loudly that the world's top superpower can at least punch open a hole
By Jason MaJune 14, 2026
1 day ago
Boomers actually do hold most of the wealth and power. So why do they call it 'whiny' to point that out?
Economy
Boomers actually do hold most of the wealth and power. So why do they call it 'whiny' to point that out?
By Nick LichtenbergJune 14, 2026
1 day ago
SpaceX surge further boosts Saudi billionaire prince’s fortune
Investing
SpaceX surge further boosts Saudi billionaire prince’s fortune
By Adveith Nair and BloombergJune 14, 2026
1 day ago
AI job disruption is here. The problem may be compounded because nearly 75% of people don't apply for unemployment benefits
AI
AI job disruption is here. The problem may be compounded because nearly 75% of people don't apply for unemployment benefits
By Jacqueline MunisJune 14, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.