Mirror investigative reporter says: 'Amazon has recognised humans are the least efficient part of the operation - it makes more money by treating its workers as expendable commodities'
An exclusive Sunday Mirror investigation into the shocking conditions for staff at Amazon discovered workers fall asleep on their feet during relentless 10hr shifts - under constant pressure to deal with a package every 30 seconds.
The harsh realities of life with timed toilet breaks and impossible targets inside an Amazon warehouse have been revealed in an undercover investigation.
Sunday Mirror reporter Alan Selby spent five weeks working at the online giant's newest warehouse in Essex, finishing his final shift on Black Friday.
He found workers falling asleep on their feet as they struggled to keep up with seemingly impossible targets, with a new parcel expected to be packed and ready every 30 seconds.
Staff often work as many as 55 hours in a week in the £8.20 an hour jobs - although some are forced to pay £4 a day for a bus just to get to the warehouse.
Alan revealed the inner workings of the UK's biggest retailer today:
"Alone in a locked metal cage, 10 feet from my nearest colleague, a robot approaches from the shadows and thrusts a tower of shelves towards me.
"I have nine seconds to grab and process an item to be sent for packing – a target of 300 items an hour, for hour after relentless hour."
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Sounds just like Wal-Mart. The bigger they get the worse things get for their workers. Here's your PRIME example of how trickle down economics is crap. Amazon CEO is one of the wealthiest men in the world.
ReplyDeleteThe story is from Europe. We know the Europeans work ethic is LESS than here in the USA. Amazon here in the USA has been working fine as it pertains to jobs - which the lack thereof has been a problem during previous Presidential administrations. (**Reminder - we are still less than 1 year into the new administration**)
ReplyDeleteYes I'm the schmuck that keeps saying why not have the new AMAZON 2nd HQ be here on the eastern shore. My friend should be around soon shaking his head stating why AMAZON wouldn't consider it.
Yes friend I do know why they won't come and thinking outside of one's box - I do wish some industry would take a chance on our area. With the right folks in charge we do have much to offer.
Something/anything industry driven could provide the jumpstart Wicomico/Worcester/City of Salisbury and the outlining areas need to help get out of the awful rut caused during the last 30 years. Bad decisions then and gross mismanagement over the last decades have made a mess of lots of things.
Hopeful doesn't pay the bills, but the constant negative waves each and every day, week, months and years around here....we deserve better representation!
10:10 AM you are naive and uninformed if you think this is not happening in the amazon warehouses here in the US. During the summer the one in the Lehigh Valley PA have ambulances sitting in the parking lot for employees that succumb to the heat and work exhaustion.
ReplyDeleteThey currently can not fill all the warehouse positions because no one wants to work there
10:10 AM Minimum wage jobs with no benefits don't pay the bills either and thats all the warehouse offers.
ReplyDelete