MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is giving $640m (£504m) to non-profit organisations, more than double her previously planned donations for the year.
The billionaire announced this week she would give the money to 361 small groups, out of the more than 6,000 organisations that applied for funding.
She had initially planned to make 250 awards of $1m each this year.
Ms Scott has given away $16.5b since divorcing Mr Bezos in 2019.
(PITTSBURGH) – The United Steelworkers (USW) union today proudly endorsed Joe Biden for a second term as president of the United States.
“President Biden proved time and again during his first term that he stands with working families,” said USW International President David McCall. “His vision and leadership allowed our nation to strengthen workers’ access to collective bargaining, grow the middle class, and embark on a path to widespread prosperity.”
The union’s endorsement was the culmination of a months-long process that included surveying USW members regarding their top priorities. The union also sent prospective presidential candidates in both parties a detailed questionnaire to determine where each of them stands on key issues affecting working people.
“Our members told us that they value retirement security, affordable health care and labor laws that support our ability to form unions and negotiate strong contracts,” said McCall. “President Biden’s record on all these issues speaks for itself. He also laid out a strong plan for building on this momentum well into the future.”
In 2021, USW members led a union-wide effort backing large-scale infrastructure investment with strong Buy American provisions.
“President Biden, through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act and other pro-worker legislation, is making good on his promise to create good, union jobs and healthier communities across the country,” McCall said. “Our nation has long needed this sort of sweeping investment. President Biden made it happen.”
McCall noted that by strategically combining these historic investments with a worker-centered trade policy that is rebuilding supply chains and supporting critical industries, President Biden is promoting domestic manufacturing and widespread prosperity, not just in the short term but well into the future.
This is in addition to the many other ways in which Biden and his administration helped advance workers’ interests, McCall said.
“President Biden’s leadership revitalized the Department of Labor and National Labor Relations Board so that they are once again fulfilling their mission to empower working people.
“And he consistently held firm on protecting Americans’ retirement security, fending off attacks on Social Security and Medicare.
“Among the many accomplishments of Biden’s American Rescue Plan was shoring up the troubled multi-employer pension plans that put more than a million workers’ retirements in jeopardy through no fault of their own – including 120,000 USW members and retirees. These workers can now look to the future with optimism rather than fear.”
McCall said that workers and their families need their elected officials to share their priorities.
“Workers and their families are more secure than they were four years ago, thanks to President Biden’s leadership. From infrastructure to retirement security, international trade to safer workplaces, President Biden got the job done,” McCall said. “We’re honored to back him as he runs for reelection.”
The USW represents 850,000 workers in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.
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