Poor Working Conditions at Amazon Warehouses

Amazon’s poor working conditions and unrealistic labour expectations have repeatedly appeared in the news as of recently, and that is because of their continued exploitation of their workforce. Despite their CEO’s net worth of $126,800,000,000 USD, Amazon warehouse labourers are paid $14 USD per hour and are expected to work constantly – unless they are on their scheduled break – or they risk potential disciplinary action (Forbes and Glassdoor 2020). Warehouse labourers package approximately four online orders per minute and work ten to twelve-hour shifts, which works out to 2400 – 2880 online orders packaged with $140-188 in compensation. 66% of 145 employees surveyed at a Staten Island Amazon warehouse said they experienced physical pain while working, and 42% said they still experienced pain in their daily lives, away from work. Furthermore, Amazon employees experienced psychological stress and had trouble sleeping as a result of pressure to work harder and faster.

Productivity targets at Amazon warehouses are inhumane and dehumanizing; “74% of employees avoid using the toilet for fear of missing their target and receiving a warning point” (Organise 2015). Employees have reported having to use bottles and diapers to relieve themselves since they do not have time to use the washroom and can even be penalized for doing so (ibid). This restriction to bathroom access is in direct violation of human rights legislation, employment standards, and workplace health and safety policies and requires government intervention. Amazon can pay any financial penalty for their actions which leaves their employees with no collective voice, power or control. Amazon’s sole goal is to profit, employees’ goals are to maintain employment at all costs, and it seems the US government’s goal is to balance all interests.

Amazon is significantly beneficial to the US economy, but they still need to keep the working class happy, so they issue Amazon fines – a punishment comparable to being slapped on the wrist with a feather. In 2016, Amazon was fined a mere $7,000 by the US Occupational Safety & Hazards Administration for failing to record approximately twenty employee injuries at one of their warehouses in New Jersey. Amazon knowingly exposed employees to ergonomic hazards and forced employees to work mandatory overtime shifts. Amazon was deemed one of the most dangerous places to work in the US in 2018; seven warehouse workers have died since 2013 due to workplace accidents resulting from harsh, fast-paced working conditions.

I would like to know how a company can monopolize labour (consumer and workforce) markets, exploit thousands of underpaid employees, horde trillions of dollars of wealth, and still convince me to continue my Amazon Prime subscription. I believe that my separation from the labour process behind Amazon’s quick delivery and acceptance of our ultra-rich puppet masters allows me to accept these conditions; as long as Jeff Bezos or Amazon do not negatively impact me personally. This may be why Amazon continues to treat employees poorly; employees cannot resist with no voice, and I pass by articles like this due to the overload of negative media in our age. I am simply accustomed to negative corporate practices – Amazon offers too many benefits for me to cancel my subscription due to their blatant disregard for workers’ health and safety.

This is a problem and I acknowledge it. I worked in a waffle, pancake and French toast factory with horrid working conditions; I never stood up for my own rights as an employee because I did not have a voice, and my family continues to purchase these products, despite my experience. If my family continues buying waffles despite their direct connection to me, how can I be expected to cancel my Amazon Prime subscription when I am far more disconnected from Amazon warehouse workers? Employees have no voice, I cannot be their voice, and the US government will not intervene enough to improve workplace conditions, so – who can fix this problem?

References

Amazon—Petition and report delivered to amazon hq. (2015). Organise.         https://www.organise.org.uk/blog/2018/4/13/amazon-the-report

Amazon warehouse worker hourly pay. (2020). Glassdoor. https://www.glassdoor.com/Hourly-Pay/Amazon-Warehouse-Worker-Hourly-Pay-E6036_D_KO7,23.htm

All unreferenced content retrieved from Campbell, A. F. (2019). The problem with Amazon’s speedy shipping, in one graphic. Vox. https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/10/18/20920717/amazon-shipping-workers-injuries

Jeff bezos. (2020). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/profile/jeff-bezos/