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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUnionized Amazon Workers in Germany Go On Strike Over Wages And Conditions
Unionized Amazon Workers in Germany Go On Strike Over Wages And Conditions
12/8/2014
Around 500 workers at two of Germans Amazon warehouses went on strike Monday morning to protest their pay and working conditions.
...The German dispute reveals sharp contrasts with the workplace situations that face Amazon workers in the United States, where Amazon has been largely successful at preventing unionization. When the Communication Workers of America tried to unionize 400 workers in 2000, Amazon closed the call center they were targeting. The company has also trained managers how to spot potential union activity and has passed out anti-union materials.
In 2011, a report found that Amazon warehouse workers were forced to work in 100 degree temperatures even if pregnant and that the company encouraged employees to cover up injuries. Jobs postings have said that Amazon warehouse employees must be prepared to walk 10 to 15 miles a day. Several Amazon workers, from warehouse staff to workers in the corporate offices, have spoken out against the experiences online.
Earlier this year, the National Labor Relations Board investigated Amazon after a worker alleged that he was punished for raising concerns about the companys security. Amazon and the board reached a settlement in November that allowed employees to talk about pay and working conditions without fear of punishment. The Supreme Court is currently hearing a case about potential wage theft at Amazon. Two warehouse employees allege that the company forced them to spend two hours a week in security lines before leaving work but did not pay them for the time spent in line....
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/12/08/3600903/germany-amazon-strikes-holidays/
12/8/2014
Around 500 workers at two of Germans Amazon warehouses went on strike Monday morning to protest their pay and working conditions.
...The German dispute reveals sharp contrasts with the workplace situations that face Amazon workers in the United States, where Amazon has been largely successful at preventing unionization. When the Communication Workers of America tried to unionize 400 workers in 2000, Amazon closed the call center they were targeting. The company has also trained managers how to spot potential union activity and has passed out anti-union materials.
In 2011, a report found that Amazon warehouse workers were forced to work in 100 degree temperatures even if pregnant and that the company encouraged employees to cover up injuries. Jobs postings have said that Amazon warehouse employees must be prepared to walk 10 to 15 miles a day. Several Amazon workers, from warehouse staff to workers in the corporate offices, have spoken out against the experiences online.
Earlier this year, the National Labor Relations Board investigated Amazon after a worker alleged that he was punished for raising concerns about the companys security. Amazon and the board reached a settlement in November that allowed employees to talk about pay and working conditions without fear of punishment. The Supreme Court is currently hearing a case about potential wage theft at Amazon. Two warehouse employees allege that the company forced them to spend two hours a week in security lines before leaving work but did not pay them for the time spent in line....
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/12/08/3600903/germany-amazon-strikes-holidays/
Go German Labor!!
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Unionized Amazon Workers in Germany Go On Strike Over Wages And Conditions (Original Post)
RiverLover
Dec 2014
OP
Ward
(28 posts)1. Oh, I think Bezos and Amazon have an answer for this
Robots replacing labor at Amazon warehouses in NJ, CA, TX 'faster than expected'
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/Robots-taking-over-Amazon-warehouses-faster-than-expected.html#rmQFJoSfPUARPCio.99
Amazon.com employs more than 100,000 humans -- and 15,000 robots, more than 10X as many robots as the company deployed in mid-2013, and 50% more than CEO Jeff Bezos predicted six months ago, notes analyst Shawn Milne at Janney Capital Markets in Philadelphia in a report to clients today.
The company has added robots at its new warehouse in Robbinsville, Mercer County, N.J.; and others in Tracy and San Bernardino, Calif.; Ruskin, Fla.; Fort Worth; and Sumner, Washington, and a few other sites among its scores of U.S. plants. Amazon's been using robots at least sincde its 2010 purchase of Qdisi/Diapers.com (founded by Bucknell grad Mark Lore) and especially since its 2012 purchase of robot-maker Kiva.
Robots cost around $20,000 each. Compared to $14 an hour humans, Milne says Amazon claims its robots "pick 2 to 3 times faster," improve productivity by 20%, enable Amazon to do 50% more work in a given warehouse area (because robots can work in "narrower aisles" , and cut packing time "from 19 mintues to 15 minutes per order," for total savings of up to 40% per order.
The company has added robots at its new warehouse in Robbinsville, Mercer County, N.J.; and others in Tracy and San Bernardino, Calif.; Ruskin, Fla.; Fort Worth; and Sumner, Washington, and a few other sites among its scores of U.S. plants. Amazon's been using robots at least sincde its 2010 purchase of Qdisi/Diapers.com (founded by Bucknell grad Mark Lore) and especially since its 2012 purchase of robot-maker Kiva.
Robots cost around $20,000 each. Compared to $14 an hour humans, Milne says Amazon claims its robots "pick 2 to 3 times faster," improve productivity by 20%, enable Amazon to do 50% more work in a given warehouse area (because robots can work in "narrower aisles" , and cut packing time "from 19 mintues to 15 minutes per order," for total savings of up to 40% per order.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-phillydeals/Robots-taking-over-Amazon-warehouses-faster-than-expected.html#rmQFJoSfPUARPCio.99
RiverLover
(7,830 posts)2. I'd love to be a hacker & mess all those robots up!
Da*n, its gonna be hard to break my Amazon habit. I cancelled my Amazon Prime last week. That's a start...
Thanks for posting this Ward. I'm really starting to hate this company!!!!