He specifically noted the outcome of the vote at a union vote in Bessemer, Alabama, which resulted in Amazon AMZN workers voted overwhelmingly not to form the company’s very first American union.
“Is your chairman comforting the outcome of the recent union vote in Bessemer? No, he does not,” Bezos wrote. “I think we need to do a better job for our employees. While the voting results were skewed and our direct relationship with employees is strong, it’s clear to me that we need a better vision of how we create value for employees – a vision for their success. “
Bezos also defended Amazon’s track record on wages, workplace safety and climate change measures – all areas where Amazon employees have urged the company to do more.
He shared the company’s success in a peak year: Amazon Prime subscribers now exceed 200 million worldwide. That’s more than 150 million worldwide, the latest figure released by Amazon in January 2020.
Bezos closed his note with a reference to his original 1997 shareholder letter, which would become an annual touchstone for the company. “For all of you: be nice, be original, create more than you consume, and never, never, never let the universe smooth out your surroundings. It remains Day 1.”