Hi, as one of Amazon’s longest-tenured employees and a Dkos-er since 2004, I feel qualified to counter-point today’s rec’d diary, “Jeff Bezos is the richest man in the world while Amazon employees struggle to survive”.
Before I unpack that diary, let me say this: I wish Amazon’s employees were unionized. I wish they were paid more. I wish that labor had representation at every level of management, as it does in Germany and many other leading nations. And I plan to continue to struggle to achieve these things for American workers.
We’re fighting for a $15 minimum wage, right? Well, on average Amazon starts entry-level warehouse associates at $14/hr total compensation. Now I admit that’s not enough to live high off the hog, but if were going to agree that $15 is adequate for entry-level, then Amazon is not badly mistreating its entry-level workers, at least in terms of compensation.
Now to the anecdotes in the diary:
”In Bezos’s case, his help is thousands of workers at fulfillment centers who are reportedly subjected to grueling work conditions”
OK, what grueling conditions?
”one in 10 Ohioans working for Amazon received SNAP benefits during their research period”
Note the article doesn’t say these are full-time employees. Some people work part-time, and someone working limited hours would qualify for public assistance. Now if the article said that these folks are on record as wanting full-time hours but Amazon was unwilling to offer them, that would be one thing. But the article doesn’t say that.
”In 2011...the Allentown factory allegedly reached a heat index of 102 degrees, and said that 15 workers collapsed because of the heat.”
So the air conditioning broke one day in one warehouse seven years ago. These are “grueling conditions”? Unfair. I can tell you that Amazon has strict policies regarding indoor temperatures.
“Amazon security guards protested at the company’s Seattle headquarters for better wages and working conditions.”
According to the article, these entry-level jobs pay $15.50. Again, if we’re agreed that minimum wage should be $15, no one is being mistreated.
“Drivers in San Diego couldn’t even get uniforms to help identify them and their vehicles as Amazon employees.”
The linked article says the employees were given uniforms two years ago.
”It’s also not just in the U.S. Amazon workers in Italy and Germany walked out on Black Friday; the Italian workers even refused to work overtime this holiday season.”
Um, if folks refuse to work any overtime during the holiday season, they need to look for a different line of work.
“An Illinois fulfillment center employee who has been on Amazon’s temp-to-hire yo yo for more than a year claims the company is no better than Walmart.”
Read the article. You’ll note that the employee was not mistreated and given bad information by Amazon; that all came from the agency that employed him. Amazon hires some seasonal workers that it cannot give permanent jobs. That’s a fact of life folks.
“Property tax subsidies mean the company doesn’t even pay for the daily emergency responder visits any busy warehouse requires. Not having to collect sales tax effectively translates to discounts on Amazon products.”
Amazon doesn’t create the legal environment folks. Every state offers these kinds of givebacks, and I wish they wouldn’t. But Amazon operates all over the country, and unless you’re making the case that Amazon is demanding these givebacks before they come to town, you don’t have a complaint against Amazon.
I like working at Amazon, and if you worked here, I think you’d like it too.