Amazon has made a huge profit as the world was shaken by the Covid virus, but while the executes have been profiting many of the warehouse and fulfillment employees have been experiencing stressful working conditions. Pre-pandemic, Amazon warehouse and fulfillment center employees have voiced their complaints about the working conditions. News organizations have captured those complaints and highlighted them in short segments and documentaries. Employees growing disillusioned and frustrated about their voices not heard have tried to organize unions in various locations across the country. As they tried to organize the unions those efforts were hindered by anti-union responses by management posted in their Amazon warehouse. Employees fearful of losing their jobs because of the ever-seeing eye of Amazon voted against forming unions that would provide some protection in the workforce.
Some more recent articles such as the one provided by the New York Times looked at how workers were treated at the JFK8 warehouse in New York. As New York and the rest of the world shut down, those found an opportunity for employment as a welcomed opportunity. But as they began to work they saw that the pressures and physical demands of the job were more than they had anticipated. Whether from firing or voluntary quitting Amazon warehouses has some of the highest turnover rates in the country. This article is an excellent read because we have also been able to hear, not only from the hourly workers of the company but also some former executives that help make the decisions that make working at Amazon so draining.
One of the things brought out in the New York Times articles in Amazon’s extremely high turnover rate. Because of this, a question was raised if Amazon is running out of workers. People who have worked there have cited how grueling and automated the work is and have quit or been fired for now keeping up with metrics that don’t into consideration normal things like bathroom breaks.
What was most fascinating in the article was that corporate policymakers of Amazon knew for years that the employees felt disposable and were treated as disposable. Former and prior employees are have said they felt disposable in interview -after interview for years, but to actually have it be said by the former corporate employees was validation, although a very hallow one.
What matters more to the employees and consumers is that Amazon treats its employees with dignity and compassion.
