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Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

reuters.com

61–70 of 237 posts

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#61
post #25
post #21

Glad to see this from Amazon, although I see it heading off the inevitable. Wouldn't this be the most powerful moment for employees in 'essential' services to engage in worker strikes? Is there any legal precedent for what governments would do? With all this war rhetoric thrown around, it seems a reasonable jump to declare essential workers troops on the frontline deserving of what we give other troops (free health c…

> Is there any legal precedent for what governments would do? There is a long history of the government using the military to break strikes and fill the labor gap for things deemed necessary for national security. I'm not sure Amazon warehouses are in the same class as coal mines though...

> I'm not sure Amazon warehouses are in the same class as coal mines though...

Essential for food security and biosafety? I'd say the same class.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>War rhetoric Wait, like a real war? Who's talking about a war? Between what parties? I have heard nothing about a war, please explain.

Based on downvotes I'm gonna go ahead and guess that there is no war (aside from the wars that are already going) and this use of the word "war" was referring to something else. Still I would like someone to please confirm that there is not a real war coming.

I heard this was about France declaring war on the virus. I assume if they're officially declaring war (again, against the virus), certain government powers / resources are immediately available.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#63
post #16

One of the Danish consumer NGOs called tænk recently tested the security of things bought off amazon, wish and other online retailers. More than half of the smoke alarms bought on amazon didn’t work. Around half of the baby toys didn’t meet choking hazard safety. Not sure why anyone still buys things from there. Or anywhere online really, all the other retailers failed as well.

> More than half of the smoke alarms bought on amazon didn’t work

I've bought multiple name-brand ones off Amazon, sold by Amazon. The one by my bathroom absolutely works. I can't count how often a steamy shower set it off. Were they buying knockoffs from third-party sellers?

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#64
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>War rhetoric Wait, like a real war? Who's talking about a war? Between what parties? I have heard nothing about a war, please explain.

Consider it 'military rhetoric' if you prefer. It's politically very effective in galvanizing support among Americans for things that are not really targetable (i.e. war on drugs, terrorism). Outside the US, French leader Macron has declared 'We are at war'. Some further contemplation on it: https://newrepublic.com/article/156949/casualties-war-corona...

Oh. Okay. Thanks for clarifying.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#65
I've been thinking that in this new reality Amazon warehouse workers and delivery folks are doing something pretty amazing by helping the rest of us.

IMOH Jeff Bezos should really consider this and put something amazing together for these foundational people.

(I say amazing because I think they should be rewarded in a big way - Amazon stock maybe?)

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#66
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. When the bailouts for so many others are happening, people in meat-packing plants, checking out groceries and delivering mail etc need major wage increases. I think around 3X current levels. USPS mail carriers and handlers are being given no guidance or support right now either.

> When the bailouts for so many others are happening I don't disagree that the support for, say, airlines, are bailouts, but the connotation that word has from 2008-2009 mischaracterizes what's going on right now. When this all blows over, you absolutely want airlines ready for business. Letting heavily impacted businesses fail is a recipe for a depression.

It's probably time to nationalize the airline industry entirely. Why do they enrich themselves during good times, and then we bail them out during bad times? If it's essential to economic stability and national security, and it keeps costing taxpayers a ton of money, then why even continue this facade of "private" airlines?

The same excuse was used for banks during the recession. We need banks when the economy recovers, and we need people who know the system to unwind the major screw ups they did. What happened is most of the people who were responsible for the recession remained in power making a lot of money. Lessons were not really learned, other than that being too big to fail is a good position to be in.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#67
post #53
post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Striking in order to exploit a global disaster for personal gain would be a great way for organized labor to turn many people against them for a life time. It may work in the short term, but even that is debatable. Many people would gladly see the national guard break a strike if it's between them and basic essentials. Long term, the optics of that kind of move are so damning that it would likely be a net-loss.

Depends on the spin. Couldn't you argue this is exploitation of the health of desperate low-paid workers, their family and their communities?

Yes, you could argue that; thereafter, the overwhelming majority of people indifferent to worker conditions in the gig-delivery supply chain would then notice, rather acutely, when their preparedness meter inches toward zero. If we were living in a world where they then took time to study the issue and hear your argument, we may arrive at your outcome. Since we are not, more accurately, when people and politicians fresh out of toilet paper snap assess their dilemma and are conveniently presented with a picket line to blame in the media, we arrive at the unpleasant outcome being forecast for you. (I would argue a worse one.)

Negative consequences of Internet supply chain worker organization right now are a certainty due to intense delivery demand (the IKEA cart is barely functional today), and those optics are an element of the gig/delivery economic equation which I don’t think anyone has thought about until now. That economic model promised to somewhat free the worker and, quite predictably given its proponents, instead seems to have done the opposite.

More than ever before, workers are essential to survival. Striking isn’t just the UAW setting back 2022 Fords a bit, these days. Organizational actions have very, very real potential to collapse parts of the intertwined economy under these circumstances. We will need to consider that reality on the other side of the pandemic but you do not want to so much as blow on the world economy right now. There is a mountain of latent panic waiting for the excuse you’d hand it to organize and manifest.

Important: I’m not saying it’s “right,” just illustrating political and economic realities which make selecting the next move carefully all that more crucial. The entire planet is on a razor’s edge, and if you’re keen to dismiss my position as irrational, organize an Amazon walkout.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Based on downvotes I'm gonna go ahead and guess that there is no war (aside from the wars that are already going) and this use of the word "war" was referring to something else. Still I would like someone to please confirm that there is not a real war coming.

I heard this was about France declaring war on the virus. I assume if they're officially declaring war (again, against the virus), certain government powers / resources are immediately available.

I suppose that could be the case. I don't know how power is distributed throughout the French government. Thanks for clarifying. I live in the Pacific, so I don't follow much European news.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#69
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If workers unionize right now, then it will probably put the general public opinion against the workers. Specially as the pandemic get its way into the US, and more and more people self quarantine, and start relying in delivery services for all their shopping

They could unionize without disrupting the service, just to increase their bargaining power and unify their representation.

With as many service workers expected to be out of a job for awhile after this blows over, if warehouse workers try to strike, there will be plenty of people willing to take their place.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#70
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What hospitals need are N95 respirators and surgical masks. A family member of mine is a doctor at a large hospital system. They have a mask shortage and have been encouraged to use scarves and t-shirts if necessary. Plain cotton masks would offer considerable benefits if everybody began wearing them in public. Countries in Asia, where it is common for everyone to wear masks have a lower R0 value.

> Plain cotton masks would offer considerable benefits if everybody began wearing them in public This goes against the current WHO recommendation > If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection.

Their guidance does not seem to suggest that people should not wear masks in public, nor does it comment on the effectiveness of doing so.

From their site:

  If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection.
  Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
  Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
  If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2...
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