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Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

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Re: Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

#21

There’s no greater demonstration of their internal class divide than what would happen if they asked HQ employees to stop working from home and do the same.

... force people whose job can be done from home to go to the office for the sake of “solidarity” !?

Re: Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

#22
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's a few avoidable deaths between friends, after all? There are multiple active outbreaks in crowded factories and other facilities, just like an Amazon fulfillment warehouse. They do not have necessary safety equipment and procedures in place yet. Forcing people to show up to work under these conditions is murder. They could fix it, though. A starting point would be Amazon providing tests and ensuring that every…

From their post on the topic it sounds like you should be happy with their plan: https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/how-amazon-priorit... > Millions of masks have been distributed across our network. They are available to all Amazon associates, delivery service partners, Amazon Flex participants, seasonal employees, and Whole Foods Market stores employees. We are encouraging everyone to take and use them. As f…

Context matters. We are now over a month into the crisis, if you count it from the moment of lockdown. The fact that this wasn't a day one policy is inexcusable. Stop playing PR hype-man for Amazon, they don't need your help.

Re: Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

#23
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's a few avoidable deaths between friends, after all? There are multiple active outbreaks in crowded factories and other facilities, just like an Amazon fulfillment warehouse. They do not have necessary safety equipment and procedures in place yet. Forcing people to show up to work under these conditions is murder. They could fix it, though. A starting point would be Amazon providing tests and ensuring that every…

From their post on the topic it sounds like you should be happy with their plan: https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/how-amazon-priorit... > Millions of masks have been distributed across our network. They are available to all Amazon associates, delivery service partners, Amazon Flex participants, seasonal employees, and Whole Foods Market stores employees. We are encouraging everyone to take and use them. As f…

Credit for the effort, but it has been a consistent issue over the last month and employees are still voicing concerns.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/21/enough-enough-l...

Once the vast majority of employees say it's actually fixed I'll give Amazon real credit for it, but it's empty PR until then.

Re: Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

#24

This seems reasonable and beyond what other major employers are offering, but as is the fashion I'm sure Amazon will be convicted in the court of public interwebs shortly...

What's a few avoidable deaths between friends, after all? There are multiple active outbreaks in crowded factories and other facilities, just like an Amazon fulfillment warehouse. They do not have necessary safety equipment and procedures in place yet. Forcing people to show up to work under these conditions is murder. They could fix it, though. A starting point would be Amazon providing tests and ensuring that every…

>What's a few avoidable deaths between friends, after all?

There is no vaccine coming for a year, maybe two, maybe never. "Flattening the curve" is ONLY a delaying strategy to not swamp the health-care system and hope that some treatments are developed (no guarantees there either). COVID is going to be part of our lives.

Are you saying we should shelter in place forever?

>A starting point would be Amazon providing tests

What tests? Are you expecting every employer to test their workers every day?

>along with ensuring everyone has masks and gloves and enough time to thoroughly wash their hands throughout their shift.

That's reasonable. Masks + social distancing + gloves, and policies for hand washing and disinfecting of commonly used surfaces. I suspect Amazon isn't too far from that, and if they are it's only because of the global PPE shortage.

Re: Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

#25
post #20

> These extensions increase our total investment in pay during COVID-19 to nearly $700 million for our hourly employees and partners. This is a drop in the bucket for Amazon. They are able to pay much better but do not. If the savings were being passed onto the customers, that's one thing, but with all the recent news about Amazon's practices, it's easy and convenient to take the cynical route.

Pay and benefits were the conversation before, and Amazon was a villain. Now it's having a job vs. not having a job, and Amazon is a hero.

Re: Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

#26
post #20

> These extensions increase our total investment in pay during COVID-19 to nearly $700 million for our hourly employees and partners. This is a drop in the bucket for Amazon. They are able to pay much better but do not. If the savings were being passed onto the customers, that's one thing, but with all the recent news about Amazon's practices, it's easy and convenient to take the cynical route.

What dollar figure would make you happy?

Re: Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

#27
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's a few avoidable deaths between friends, after all? There are multiple active outbreaks in crowded factories and other facilities, just like an Amazon fulfillment warehouse. They do not have necessary safety equipment and procedures in place yet. Forcing people to show up to work under these conditions is murder. They could fix it, though. A starting point would be Amazon providing tests and ensuring that every…

> Forcing people to show up to work under these conditions is murder. Nobody can be forced to show up, and no, that's not murder. > A starting point would be... Amazon has a page listing their pretty thorough adjustments for health & safety: https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/how-amazon-priorit...

Unpaid time off is forcing low-income workers to show up unless they want to starve.

Re: Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

#28
post #22
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From their post on the topic it sounds like you should be happy with their plan: https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/how-amazon-priorit... > Millions of masks have been distributed across our network. They are available to all Amazon associates, delivery service partners, Amazon Flex participants, seasonal employees, and Whole Foods Market stores employees. We are encouraging everyone to take and use them. As f…

Context matters. We are now over a month into the crisis, if you count it from the moment of lockdown. The fact that this wasn't a day one policy is inexcusable. Stop playing PR hype-man for Amazon, they don't need your help.

That person is not playing anything. They are noting what the facts are right now.

Re: Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

#29
post #20

> These extensions increase our total investment in pay during COVID-19 to nearly $700 million for our hourly employees and partners. This is a drop in the bucket for Amazon. They are able to pay much better but do not. If the savings were being passed onto the customers, that's one thing, but with all the recent news about Amazon's practices, it's easy and convenient to take the cynical route.

[deleted]

Re: Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

#30

There’s no greater demonstration of their internal class divide than what would happen if they asked HQ employees to stop working from home and do the same.

... force people whose job can be done from home to go to the office for the sake of “solidarity” !?

The point is that the way the system is currently set up, it sustains itself by using poor and working class bodies as consumable parts which are replaced when they inevitably crack under the pressure. Yes if you get a good education and get a desk job you can work from home. That's obvious. What is less obvious is who, on average, has the means and access to get to that position.
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