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I worked at Amazon to see if anything's changed

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Re: I worked at Amazon to see if anything's changed

#61

Post by nashashmi »

6stringmerc wrote: post #55

Having been a seasonal employee on several occasions, this article does a good job of portraying the casual attitude large companies seem to take with expendible labor forces. I've seen it first-hand even in smaller situations (ex: an indie movie theater for summer staffing), and while most were a bit better organized (better forms, personalised off-site testing), it's still pretty understandable. If Amazon isn't sym…

I always wonder what causes people to be the people they are. It almost always ends up being "industry standard" practices.

Time for disruption?

Re: I worked at Amazon to see if anything's changed

#62

Post by kalleboo »

marknutter wrote: post #20
js8 wrote: post #8

I think it's great articles like that get posted here - it's a window to employment conditions that techies would never accept. It's a good reminder of privilege.

> it's a window to employment conditions that techies would never accept. I absolutely would accept those employment conditions if I didn't have any other options and needed to make money to survive. I would also spend my free time learning a skill so I could get a better job at some point in the future. > It's a good reminder of privilege. It's not a matter of privilege, it's a matter of ability. In tech more than a…

I'm a pretty proficient programmer, but I would never have gotten there if I had to study after working 12.5 hour shifts all week - I'd still be working in the warehouse today. That's why I recognize I had privilege growing up in a country with paid-for higher education and parents who encouraged me to attend.

I also support such social measures for others as I feel it would be economically inefficient if I was still working a menial job instead of what I do now just because I don't have enough desire and ambition to work that much on top of studies.

Re: I worked at Amazon to see if anything's changed

#63

Post by bsg75 »

djtriptych wrote: post #46
rdtsc wrote: post #24

My nephew worked for Amazon in Kentucky and during a snowstorm they refused to let him stay home. He didn't feel it was safe to drive (and it wasn't). They told him he is fired. Someone even called to apologize later, but he already found work some other place. On the "good" part of Amazon at AWS, I had a laughably terrible hiring experience (I know I've told my story multiple times, sorry). They forgot to call me ba…

I want to soften this viewpoint a bit. I had similarly bungled experiences with both Facebook and Google (eventually got offers from both, accepted at Google). Missed phone calls, mistaken identity, inter-office communication problems and more. It's not a fair reflection of the company at large; recruiting is very often a shit show for all kinds of reasons.

It is fair however to keep in mind that employees, or potential recruits, who forget to keep meeting times or fail to show up could have a very different outcome.

Re: I worked at Amazon to see if anything's changed

#64

Post by jhnpckr »

marknutter wrote: post #20
js8 wrote: post #8

I think it's great articles like that get posted here - it's a window to employment conditions that techies would never accept. It's a good reminder of privilege.

> it's a window to employment conditions that techies would never accept. I absolutely would accept those employment conditions if I didn't have any other options and needed to make money to survive. I would also spend my free time learning a skill so I could get a better job at some point in the future. > It's a good reminder of privilege. It's not a matter of privilege, it's a matter of ability. In tech more than a…

Ability is a privilege.

Re: I worked at Amazon to see if anything's changed

#65

Post by alttab »

What became apparent over my time there was that, whatever the dramatisation of previous investigations, working at Amazon is just shit – but no more shit than any other mundane, badly-paid job.

Since there have been bosses and profits there have always been shit jobs, and until we're replaced by more efficient robots, they'll still be there for us to complain about.

This sums it all up nicely.

Re: I worked at Amazon to see if anything's changed

#67

Post by tamana »

n-exploit wrote: post #57
lucisferre wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> free time What makes you think those people have free time after 12.5 hour days and a commute out to the middle of nowhere?

Studying during a commute is a thing, right?

It is hard to study while driving across Kentucky.

Re: I worked at Amazon to see if anything's changed

#68

Post by cperciva »

CaptSpify wrote: post #38
Practicality wrote: post #37

When this "job" is replaced by robots, everyone will be better for it. Of course, these people will need to be provided for, and there are several solutions to discuss, but this job screams for automation.

I have no idea what the people in the warehouse do, so forgive my ignorance, but wouldn't this be a prime spot to test out drones? I'm guessing if you are in an enclosed area, the air-space rules that Amazon keeps fighting don't apply?

Robots, yes. But not flying drones. It's hard for a drone to pull a bin off a shelf and pick up one item.

Re: I worked at Amazon to see if anything's changed

#69

Post by tamana »

JoBrad wrote: post #52
threatofrain wrote: post #13

It's silly to blame Amazon for what we think is immoral behavior, as if we were going to shame Amazon into decency. Amazon is following the law here. It is the law which is indecent. We must think not about why Amazon is indecent, but rather how Amazon is lawful. In sum, Amazon should be mechanistically compelled into socially harmonious behavior, not shamed into it.

It is ridiculous to say that we simply need to pass laws to address unacceptable behavior from companies. I firmly believe in regulation as a force for good, but attempting to create regulation that addresses specific companies or situations usually results in a mass of outdated regulation that becomes a hindrance in a few years. Companies should treat their workers well because it's the right thing to do, not simply…

Wishing won't make it so.

Re: I worked at Amazon to see if anything's changed

#70

Post by tamana »

6stringmerc wrote: post #55

Having been a seasonal employee on several occasions, this article does a good job of portraying the casual attitude large companies seem to take with expendible labor forces. I've seen it first-hand even in smaller situations (ex: an indie movie theater for summer staffing), and while most were a bit better organized (better forms, personalised off-site testing), it's still pretty understandable. If Amazon isn't sym…

Amazon makes workers constantly work faster. It isn't relaxing.
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