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Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

reuters.com

81–90 of 237 posts

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#81
post #74

It's also worth noting that if our economy starts deflating (basically inevitable at this point), real incomes will rise. So $15 an hour next month is like $20 an hour last month (or some ratio like that).

Why do you think it's inevitable that there will be a deflation? Genuine question, it seems the money supply is going to be increasing?

Nope. The dollar is so strong that other countries are trying really hard to get as much USD as possible. This means that liquidity is drying up and there is a shortage of dollars world-wide. This is deflationary right until we see the banking sector collapse.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#82
post #74

It's also worth noting that if our economy starts deflating (basically inevitable at this point), real incomes will rise. So $15 an hour next month is like $20 an hour last month (or some ratio like that).

Why do you think it's inevitable that there will be a deflation? Genuine question, it seems the money supply is going to be increasing?

Investopedia has a good definition of deflation after crises that might be helpful to you.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/03091...

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#83
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…

> Wouldn't this be the most powerful moment for employees in 'essential' services to engage in worker strikes?

No, because there's currently/there will soon be an army of unemployed retail/service workers who will happily take their jobs.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#84
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> During the measured period in August 2018, it was found that 55.7 percent of consumers with an income of 75,000 U.S. dollars and more had an Amazon Prime membership. I dunno where you live, but if a lot of your customer base in in this income range, you’re a good deal outside the median in the US. > What do you think family's opinion of UAW would be if they represented workers in Toilet Paper, Clorox, and Food manu…

That graph says that 1/3rd of households making less than 35k per year and 40% of households that make between 35k and 75k a year have prime membership. I'm from the mid-west. Where do you think Meijer, Schnucks, and Jewl Osco get their toilet paper from? If the union insists the TP plant shut down there is no TP whether you buy that from the grocery store or Amazon.

If the union insists the toilet paper factory shut down because everyone is getting sick, there’s not going to be a toilet paper factory if the bosses disregard. The same is true of Amazon’s logistics network, although I’m sure they’ll try and pretend it isn’t.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#85
post #27
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…

With how 9/11 first responders were treated, or how veterans are treated now, don't count on the US making good on any promises it makes to its heroes. There is tons of hero worship and thumping of patriotic chests, but tangible actions typically fall well short of the level of care you'd expect. Lots of talking the talk, but not walking the walk.

Yea. Trump even pardoned a special forces killer against the wishes of fellow vets, the military, etc. our respect for veterans is flimsy.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#86
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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...

The government would absolutely step in and stop a strike at Amazon right now, or just about any other business. Anyone trying to strike right now would be run out of town by citizens with torches as well. It might sound like a good idea in the abstract, but if you factor in the emotional state of the country, people would be up in arms and those on strike would get zero sympathy.

What would the Government do? Force people to go back to work at gunpoint?

I'd love to see them try.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#87
post #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?)

They used to be paid in stock... they wanted $15/hr instead.

It’s hard not to blame those workers if they’re living paycheque to paycheque. For a well-paid programmer it’s a different story but it’s not hard to imagine the immediate liquidity bieng more valuable when expenses take a bigger bite of your income.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#88
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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...

The government would absolutely step in and stop a strike at Amazon right now, or just about any other business. Anyone trying to strike right now would be run out of town by citizens with torches as well. It might sound like a good idea in the abstract, but if you factor in the emotional state of the country, people would be up in arms and those on strike would get zero sympathy.

[deleted]

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#89
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…

If that happens I'll show up at my local warehouse and work for free. People are dying.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#90
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…

The administration would certainly order employees back to work under the Taft–Hartley Act under threat of imprisonment. While it resists ordering companies to produce critically need medical supplies on ideological grounds[1], there can be no doubt that it would not miss an opportunity to damage labor organizations.

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/us/politics/trump-coronav...

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