COnsumer Awareness

Vote With Your Dollars: Know Who You’re Supporting

The People’s Union USA believes in holding corporations accountable. Below is a growing list of companies and brands that have made headlines for either supporting the people,  or exploiting them. This list is not about politics, it’s about principles.

Corporations Known for Exploitation, Price Gouging, or Unethical Practices

These companies have been repeatedly criticized for tax avoidance, poor labor practices, lobbying against workers’ rights, or manipulating pricing during inflation:

Amazon – Tax avoidance, union-busting, and poor warehouse conditions
 

Walmart – Drives out small businesses, low worker pay, corporate subsidies
 

Nestlé – History of water exploitation, unethical marketing, and child labor claims
 

Monsanto (now Bayer) – Aggressive lawsuits against farmers, toxic chemical use
 

Coca-Cola – Water resource issues, union suppression in multiple countries
 

Chevron – Environmental devastation, especially in Indigenous regions
 

Nike – Sweatshop labor and questionable manufacturing ethics
 

Meta (Facebook) – Data exploitation, manipulation of public discourse
 

Google/Alphabet – Tax sheltering, privacy violations, influence over public data
 

Comcast – One of the most hated companies in America for predatory pricing
 

McDonald’s – Tax avoidance and known lobbying against wage increases
 

Neutral or Questionable - Use Caution

These companies walk the line. They may support progressive initiatives publicly but still engage in questionable lobbying or offshore tax strategies:

Apple – Green energy progress, but high levels of outsourcing and tax sheltering
 

Starbucks – Known for progressive branding, but also union-busting activity
 

PepsiCo – Social good campaigns, yet still tied to price hikes and heavy lobbying
 

Target – Public image of inclusivity, but questionable supplier practices
 

Microsoft – Invests in education and renewable energy, but dodges taxes globally
 

Companies Doing It Better

These companies have taken steps toward fair wages, ethical sourcing, and supporting workers or communities. No company is perfect,  but these have shown efforts worth noting:

Patagonia – Donates to environmental causes, ethical labor practices
 

Ben & Jerry’s – Transparent activism, fair trade sourcing
 

Dr. Bronner’s – Supports workers, regenerative agriculture, and fair pay
 

Costco – Higher average wages, better employee benefits
 

Eileen Fisher – Sustainable clothing brand, employee ownership model
 

Seventh Generation – Environmental sustainability and ethical transparency
 

REI – Co-op model that reinvests in community and the outdoors
 

This list will continue to grow as more research and reports come out.

 If you know of a company we should add, good or bad , please contact us.

Remember: We are the economy. Every dollar is a vote.