The Lynn City Council passed a resolution on April 13 urging Amazon to ” … meet community standards for wages, benefits and working conditions.” This well-intentioned but meaningless gesture underscores how the era of local government dictating terms to corporations is a proverbial horse that left the barn long ago.
With its ubiquitous blue trucks and delivery-focused business model — hyper-accelerated by COVID-19 social distancing precautions — Amazon is an economic giant embarked on a relentless course of expansion.
The firm hasn’t set its sights yet on opening a Lynn facility. But it is reported to be interested in Centennial Park in Peabody as part of a corporate expansion program that includes adding 10 Massachusetts sites this year, including one in Salem.
Rather than trying to dictate employment standards to Amazon, we think municipal officials can do a better job of building local economies if they look for ways to attract an Amazon facility to their community and — if they succeed — using Amazon as a local economic springboard.
An Amazon facility can potentially serve as an anchor business for a new or revived commercial zone; Amazon is redefining the retail economy. But as an economic monolith it can’t exist in a vacuum. It is up to local officials to find ways to fill that vacuum.
We think a similar approach can be taken to enhance General Electric’s River Works and future opportunities for the sprawling West Lynn site.
Instead of shouting, “Love us, don’t leave us,” community organizers might be better served by adopting the motto, “Build with us.” During his first term in Congress, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton suggested looking at surplus property opportunities at the River Works and making those sites potential locations for biotechnology businesses.
Enhancing the River Works’ potential as a site for the 21st century — even 22nd century — businesses makes more sense than begging GE to continue manufacturing jet engines.
We sincerely hope the River Works will remain Lynn’s flagship manufacturer. But opportunities and locations must also be carved out for business sectors in their first phases of development and fledgling enterprises looking for a place to land.
