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Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

reuters.com

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Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#121

Post by srtjstjsj »

dehrmann wrote: post #63
mulm wrote: 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?

Bought a smoke detector; received a steam detector. Not a good review.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#122

Post by OrangeUnicorn12 »

bdefore wrote: 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…

... whatever Amazon does, it is always "however", "although" and "but" on HN

People, please get real. You all are running (or dreaming of) your own small business.

How much of payrise are you willing to give your workforce now?

This news is pure win for workers, consumers and amazon.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#123

Post by nullc »

jedberg wrote: post #94
mhb wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is it better to get some stock instead of its cash equivalent which could be used to buy stock?

The stock was purchased at an 80% discount. To be clear, it was a stock option, and the option price was 20% of the stock price. So it had to go up 20% to break even. But if it went up 40% you doubled your money. This is basically what happens behind the scenes at other companies that offer you stock compensation in the form of options. It's just all hidden from you.

Especially after the backdating scandal many companies moved to offering RSUs. These were shares just purchased at a favorable price, no option involved.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#124

Post by xxpor »

reedwolf wrote: post #86
caymanjim wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

The state of education in this country about the history of the labor movement is seriously depressing. I'm sure that's intentional though.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#125

Post by marcosdumay »

bdefore wrote: 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?

I don't think you should be looking for legal precedent, just practical one.

Depending on the severity of the impact, governments would (and did several times):

1 - Declare the strike illegal and order people back to work, fine and at the worst case arrest the organizers if they don't comply.

2 - Declare the involved unions illegal, free companies to hire whoever they want and disobey agreements.

3 - Conscript people into doing the work, either by using the company as middle-men or by literally enrolling them on the military and absorbing the work.

But I don't think any government will have to do any of that. A strike does not fit this crisis very well, no party would gain anything.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#126

Post by Dylan16807 »

jacobwilliamroy wrote: post #49
jacobwilliamroy wrote: post #42

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'm gonna go ahead and guess that there is no war

That's not really right, because that implies that other people are using the word wrong. It's more that it's a word with a lot of uses, and you got stuck on one of them.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#127

Post by all_blue_chucks »

bdefore wrote: 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…

That might be the worst idea I've ever heard. Shutting down the supply lines during a pandemic would have disastrous consequences for everyone.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#128

Post by all_blue_chucks »

dehrmann wrote: post #60
tcbawo wrote: 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.

The "masks don't help" campaign is well-intended disinformation aimed at preserving medical masks for medical practitioners.

It is now proven that people with no symptoms spread the virus. Breathing virus into a cotton sheet is obviously safer than breathing on other people, despite being far from perfect.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#129

Post by stevenhuang »

dehrmann wrote: post #55
bredren wrote: 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.

Airlines deserve no sympathy from how they've spent 90% of free cash flow over the years buying back their own stocks.

Now when times are tough they have no cash reserves and are seeking government bailouts.

Just appalling.

Re: Amazon raises overtime pay for warehouse workers

#130

Post by Klinky »

nerfhammer wrote: post #103
bdefore wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

As everyone notices their packages stop arriving, comparatively few will buy into the idea that people making $17/hr are being 'exploited', especially as many people find their own working hours being reduced or eliminated.

That sounds like a side effect of the gig economy, job insecurity, and a lack of safety nets, so it's all just a race to the bottom for laborers.
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