Does Congress Deserve Credit for Amazon's Wage Hike? Rep. Khanna Thinks So
*By Carlo Versano*
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) wants some credit for Amazon's new company-wide policy to hike its minimum wage to $15.
The progressive congressman representing California's 17th district has [sponsored](https://cheddar.com/videos/rep-ro-khanna-to-amazon-pay-your-workers-a-living-wage) a House bill to complement Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-VT) "Stop BEZOS Act." Khanna said Tuesday in an interview on Cheddar he thinks his legislation applied more pressure to Amazon ($AMZN), which was already under scrutiny for the working conditions of its factory employees.
"It's a major, major victory," Khanna said. "I think \[Bezos\] has really set the bar."
Amazon's wage hike will go into effect Nov. 1 for 350,000 full-time, part-time, and temporary employees. The company said it will also lobby Congress to increase the minimum wage at a federal level.
To Khanna, whose district includes Silicon Valley, the move by Amazon ー based in Seattle ー will cause shockwaves and likely inspire other large corporations to act. "It's going to eviscerate the argument that you can't be profitable and pay $15 wages," he said.
"If Amazon can do it, a lot of other companies can do it."
Khanna also spoke about the federal government's injunction against California for its new net neutrality law. He said the position taken by the FCC and Chairman Ajit Pai undermines the concept of federalism, which Republicans claim to value. But the reality may be quite different.
"There is no jurisdiction to take away from what the state is doing," he said.
Pai filed suit soon after California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation establishing net neutrality protections for Californians over the weekend. Pai argued that the internet by its very nature constitutes interstate commerce and thus should be regulated federally.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/rep-ro-khanna-amazon-set-the-bar-by-raising-minimum-wage).
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers.
