These major companies are facing boycotts this July — see who's on the list

Time of India

a day ago

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Nationwide Boycott Targets Amazon, Home Depot, and Starbucks
Amazon Slammed for Wealth Gap and Working Conditions
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Starbucks Accused of Anti-Union Practices
Home Depot Under Fire for Removing Diversity Page
People's Union Urges Americans to Skip Independence Day Celebrations
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Several major American companies are facing boycotts throughout July, organised by the People's Union USA , a grassroots organisation, as the group says it is acting in the interest of economic equality and social justice, as per a report.As per a Newsweek report, the grassroots organisation has planned to boycott Amazon, Home Depot and Starbucks throughout this entire month of July.People's Union founder, John Schwarz, said in a video posted on Instagram on June 25, "This is how we escalate," adding, "We don't do it with anger, not chaos, but with unity, with discipline, and with focus. We stop giving our energy and money to the companies that keep showing us they don't care about the people," as quoted by Newsweek in its report.ALSO READ: Trump's immigration surprise: These industries will get a temporary pass for foreign workers Schwarz spoke about Amazon's upcoming Prime Day offerings this month and highlighted the overworked and underpaid Amazon workers, while Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos had an extravagant wedding in Venice over the weekend, according to the report.He pointed out that, "[Amazon employees] are pushing their bodies to the limit so Jeff Bezos can throw a multi-million-dollar wedding in Venice," adding, "That is not success, that is a disconnect," quoted Newsweek in its report. Schwarz also said that, "That is a man getting rich while the people making it possible are being pushed to the edge while they barely make a livable wage. Jeff Bezos makes over $7 million per hour and pays 1.1 percent in taxes," as quoted in the report.While the e-commerce giant's spokesperson said that "We maintain a number of mechanisms to ensure our employees stay safe during high-temperature events," and added that, "The health and safety of our employees is paramount and we encourage employees to take breaks often as needed, especially those who work in roles exposed to the elements," quoted Newsweek.ALSO READ: Trump's Big Beautiful Bill in the Senate: When will the vote happen, and will it pass? Schwarz even mentioned that Starbucks is "no better," and called out the American coffee chain for its purported facade of being a community builder while it discourages worker organisation and unionising, sometimes even leading to worker terminations, as reported by Newsweek.While the anger towards Home Depot is similar to past boycotts of Target, as Schwarz said, Home Depot "quietly erased" the DEI page from their website, "as if standing for fairness or for equality or for representation was something to be ashamed of," as quoted in the report.He highlighted that, "All these companies are also financially supporting this treasonous administration," and added that, "They are funding the very same politicians who are tearing families apart, stripping away rights, and pushing this country into a dictatorship," quoted Newsweek. Schwarz even pointed out that, "If you support these companies then you are indirectly supporting the destruction of everything this country was supposed to stand for. These are not isolated mistakes; these are patterns. And we the people have had and seen enough," as quoted in the report.While Home said in a statement to Newsweek that, "We're proud to have a culture that welcomes everyone, and we believe it helps us achieve our business goals by supporting associates, building relationships and fostering innovation. As we continually refine our communications, we have been using "WeAreTHD", which we have long used to represent the welcoming culture that we've built here," as quoted in the report.Meanwhile, the People's Union is also boycotting all involvement in anything US Independence Day-related, along with the boycotts of the three American companies, which Schwarz called "the most important boycott of the year" that is not about politics but "principle," as quoted in the report by Newsweek.He explained in a separate video that, "It's about walking away from the illusion they've built and reclaiming what it actually means to be free," adding, "This Fourth of July, do not go to the parades, do not gather at the fireworks shows, don't wave a flag for a country that no longer waves it for you," as quoted in the report.Schwarz even pointed out that, "The Fourth of July is supposed to be a celebration of freedom, but what freedom are we actually talking about? The right to be watched? The right to be taxed, lied to, left behind? The right to vote between two corporate puppets? The right to work 60 hours a week and still struggle to pay rent while billionaires dodge taxes? Let me be honest with you, there is no independence to celebrate right now," as quoted by Newsweek in its report.Because the People's Union believes these companies have exploited workers, cut back on social commitments, and contributed to economic inequality Stop shopping at Amazon, Home Depot, and Starbucks during the entire month of July and skip all Independence Day celebrations, as per the Newsweek report.