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U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

reuters.com

41–50 of 210 posts

Re: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

#41
post #36

It sounds like the post-shift screening shouldn't be necessary. If they're not paying you, you should be free to go. The worker should try opting-out of the screening: it should be an OSHA issue if you can't freely leave the building at anytime.

"Sure you are free to go. And don't bother showing up tomorrow."

If everyone started refusing, they might be willing to change policy. That much overturn at once could be problematic.

Re: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

#42
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In its 2014 ruling in the case, the Supreme Court decided that under a 1947 law that amended the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, companies do not have to pay employees for the time they spend undergoing security checks. It's a supreme court decision that is allowing Amazon to do this [0]. TL;DR the decision is solely on if the "activities are an intrinsic element of the employee’s primary job duties and one that…

It's a relief to know that the Supreme Court is so fair and even-handed in its treatment of employers and employees!

Talk to Congress about laws, it's their job to change them.

Re: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

#43

It sounds like the post-shift screening shouldn't be necessary. If they're not paying you, you should be free to go. The worker should try opting-out of the screening: it should be an OSHA issue if you can't freely leave the building at anytime.

You can always freely leave the building. This is true for almost any business. You don't need to "opt out" of the screening - you can literally just say "I quit" and walk out.

What really needs to happen is a federal or state law modification - time under control of employer required to maintain job is time worked. Why this is for courts to legislate is silly.

Re: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

#44

It seems eminently reasonable and obvious that workers should be compensated for performing the Duties of their job while at work or in premises. Clearly submitting to a security check before being allowed to leave work is an obligation they incur as an employee. They should not be able to “clock out” until after such security checks.

I get what you're saying, but these are the ways that management finds the margins that allow you to receive cheap products on your doorstep in 2 days.

this would cost the customer an extra penny, maybe a nickel?

Re: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Kind of like how people say “then unhappy amazon employees should simply find another job”?

There's a huge imbalance of power between the company and an individual worker. So it's "kind of" not the same at all. Why are people so quick to defend the powerful?

This is the site of a tech investment company. Its full of the rich and powerful who are protecting themselves.

Re: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

#46

I find the this whole wage debate rather interesting, because it is not only an extremely misunderstood issue, at the same times as it is a core measure of the condition of society (Please do not confuse that with a notion of "health", but rather the objective "condition" of the society, also not just the economy) The ideal state of any economy is one in which balance of opportunities exists to the point where an equ…

[deleted]

Re: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

#47

Is it not crazy that is has to come down to a Supreme Court case for Jeff Bezos and Amazon to treat their employees fairly? This isn't a company that's on a sink or swim margin where this will collapse the company. Not when they're fine stocking all the break rooms in corporate offices with starbucks and AWS people get shelves full snacks all day. But give an hourly employee a little more money to accommodate their s…

Amazon corporate offices are extremely cheap. Absolutely shitty coffee and enough snacks for 10 people in an office floor that sits 100.

It's pretty much a factory for software developers.

A live-able salary is the only perk of being an Amazon corporate employee.

Re: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

#48
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> hired to retrieve products from warehouse shelves, not to undergo security screenings, and the company could eliminate the screenings altogether without impairing the employees’ ability to complete their work Wow. They were hired to do work, not to be locked up for half an hour per day and treated like criminals. Moreover, it is obviously clear that Amazon could just stop locking them up for half an hour per day an…

It’s seems degrading to be subject to this but at the same time the majority of theft is from employees. I’ve hear about these type of precautions at UPS sorting centers. It’s also why cash register security cameras are pointed at the register not where a robber would be in clear view. That said I’m almost certain the UPS employees are paid while doing the screening. That’s a benefit of labor unions.

I'm not really contesting that security screening might be a necessary part of the job just that it's incredible that they're not getting paid for it.

Re: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

#49
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Sure you are free to go. And don't bother showing up tomorrow."

If everyone started refusing, they might be willing to change policy. That much overturn at once could be problematic.

All workers banding together and presenting a united front? Sounds familiar..

Re: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Amazon warehouse worker wage appeal

#50

It seems eminently reasonable and obvious that workers should be compensated for performing the Duties of their job while at work or in premises. Clearly submitting to a security check before being allowed to leave work is an obligation they incur as an employee. They should not be able to “clock out” until after such security checks.

Amazon gets all the attention because it's Amazon. Work a retail job anywhere and you will discover that MILLIONS of retail workers must do similar checks.
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