Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee • Hacker News Board

Re: Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee

#31

Post by Nokinside » Sat, Jul 20, 2019, 3:31 PM UTC

mighty_bander wrote: post #7

Anyone who says unions are no longer necessary should go and work in an Amazon warehouse for a year. Until the workforce organizes, this is going to keep happening.

It seems that the US union law favors so called enterprise bargaining or worksite-level bargaining. Companies and workplaces either unionize or not. That kind of system pits unions against companies. If the workplace unionizes, non-unionized companies get an advantage. Whoever fucks their workers hardest gets competitive advantage.

My experience of unions comes as an entrepreneur in countries with sectoral bargaining. Companies representing the whole sector negotiate against unions representing most or all workers in that sector. There may be company level deals also, but they are just a side show dealing with local issues. When the deal is made, everyone is at the same level of pain and gain. If company in retail business must allow their workers to pee, so does their competitor. You don't get competitive advantage if you fuck with your workers.

It's really just matter of arranging incentives.

Re: Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee

#32

Post by bubblewrap » Sat, Jul 20, 2019, 3:33 PM UTC

I suspect toilet rules are strict because people are prone to abuse the system.

Would be nice to have a warehouse operator for an AMA some time.

Re: Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee

#33

Post by tofflos » Sat, Jul 20, 2019, 3:34 PM UTC

Unionize.

Re: Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee

#34

Post by RandomBacon » Sat, Jul 20, 2019, 3:37 PM UTC

jasonlotito wrote: post #13

massysett wrote: post #5

I see “modern day slavery” and I stop reading. There are no whips. No rape. No families torn apart. No slave ships. Grow up people.

The thing is, their is a reason they say "modern day slavery" and not "slavery." The implication here is that just because there are no actual whips, no literal rape, and no families torn apart forever doesn't mean we should think this is acceptable. It's the modern equivalent of slavery. No, it's not slavery with whips and rape. It's a different type of slavery. Hence the qualifier. Anyways, I did you the service of…

I appreciate you taking the time to reply with why you believe the other poster is wrong. Too many people just downvote and move on without giving the opportunity to let others learn.

However, I think you're wrong. There is slavery today with rape, murder, physical control, etc. When I see "Modern day slavery" or the "modern equivalent" is still just "slavery".

Re: Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee

#35

Post by tempguy9999 » Sat, Jul 20, 2019, 3:42 PM UTC

cheeky78 wrote: post #28

Amazon Warehouse jobs have been well above minimum wage for quite some time. They are difficult, but warehouse jobs are not easy. I feel like there is a generational gap where people are expecting a comfortable office job. It's hardly slavery. It's a choice. You an always go somewhere else to work. Amazon doesn't have a monopoly on low-skilled labor jobs. I've known plenty of people that have worked in an Amazon Ware…

> warehouse jobs are not easy

I did a few in my post-graduation days (as the joke goes, "do you want fries with that?"). There's nothing notably hard about them.

> have been well above minimum wage for quite some time

be lovely if you could give some figures, ta

Re: Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee

#36

Post by sjg007 » Sat, Jul 20, 2019, 3:43 PM UTC

Nokinside wrote: post #31

mighty_bander wrote: post #7

Anyone who says unions are no longer necessary should go and work in an Amazon warehouse for a year. Until the workforce organizes, this is going to keep happening.

It seems that the US union law favors so called enterprise bargaining or worksite-level bargaining. Companies and workplaces either unionize or not. That kind of system pits unions against companies. If the workplace unionizes, non-unionized companies get an advantage. Whoever fucks their workers hardest gets competitive advantage. My experience of unions comes as an entrepreneur in countries with sectoral bargaining…

This isn’t true. Plenty of construction, plumbing and electricians are unionized. They work on roads, big public or corporate projects and do just fine. The lower end, residential tend to be non-union. Many trades folk want to be in a union. You can also go hang your own shingle too.

Re: Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee

#37

Post by krapp » Sat, Jul 20, 2019, 3:49 PM UTC

spodek wrote: post #25

mighty_bander wrote: post #7

Anyone who says unions are no longer necessary should go and work in an Amazon warehouse for a year. Until the workforce organizes, this is going to keep happening.

Exactly. Capitalists who don't want collective bargaining probably shouldn't motivate people to see their strength in numbers. I don't see any mystery in why employees would band together in situations like these. They'd be fools not to.

[flagged]

Re: Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee

#38

Post by mighty_bander » Sat, Jul 20, 2019, 3:51 PM UTC

Nokinside wrote: post #31

mighty_bander wrote: post #7

Anyone who says unions are no longer necessary should go and work in an Amazon warehouse for a year. Until the workforce organizes, this is going to keep happening.

It seems that the US union law favors so called enterprise bargaining or worksite-level bargaining. Companies and workplaces either unionize or not. That kind of system pits unions against companies. If the workplace unionizes, non-unionized companies get an advantage. Whoever fucks their workers hardest gets competitive advantage. My experience of unions comes as an entrepreneur in countries with sectoral bargaining…

I think that's a wonderful idea. Are you in Europe?

In Canada, we have some sectoral organization but I wouldn't expect it to complete.

Re: Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee

#39

Post by mattr47 » Sat, Jul 20, 2019, 3:54 PM UTC

tempguy9999 wrote: post #35

cheeky78 wrote: post #28

Amazon Warehouse jobs have been well above minimum wage for quite some time. They are difficult, but warehouse jobs are not easy. I feel like there is a generational gap where people are expecting a comfortable office job. It's hardly slavery. It's a choice. You an always go somewhere else to work. Amazon doesn't have a monopoly on low-skilled labor jobs. I've known plenty of people that have worked in an Amazon Ware…

> warehouse jobs are not easy I did a few in my post-graduation days (as the joke goes, "do you want fries with that?"). There's nothing notably hard about them. > have been well above minimum wage for quite some time be lovely if you could give some figures, ta

Amazon's starting wage is $15 / hour.

Re: Reddit AMA: I'm a Former Amazon Fulfillment Center Employee

#40

Post by Matumio » Sat, Jul 20, 2019, 3:56 PM UTC

mighty_bander wrote: post #7

Anyone who says unions are no longer necessary should go and work in an Amazon warehouse for a year. Until the workforce organizes, this is going to keep happening.

That, or universal basic income. No need for unions if workers can simply say no to a job and live humbly instead. Amazon simply wouldn't find anyone willing to work for them until they improved.