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Amazon asks workers sheltering at home to return or request leave

bloomberg.com

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

#51

Post by jonknee »

falcolas wrote: post #39
jonknee wrote: post #5

Direct from the source, here is what Amazon is doing: https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/how-amazon-priorit... > We’ve extended the increased hourly pay outlined below through May 16. We are also extending double overtime pay in the U.S. and Canada. These extensions increase our total investment in pay during COVID-19 to nearly $700 million for our hourly employees and partners. In addition, we are providing f…

None of this really disagrees with the article; it's an issue because people typically on a leave of absence don't get paid (notice the lack of "paid leave").

I never said it did? The article is behind a paywall and is based off this blog post which is not behind a paywall.

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

#52

Post by themagician »

jonknee wrote: post #26
uoaei wrote: 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?

$25/hr base.

That’s what I have to pay as a small employer to keep people for basic assembly and packaging during this. That’s what I felt was fair, since that’s what unemployment pays in my state. I figured I have to at least match that, so I did. I had to let a few people go and scale back, but helped them all navigate the UI claim’s process. Paid out their PTO balance to hold them over. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night asking people to come to work for less knowing it would endanger them and pay them less than literally being unemployed and staying at home. I will bring them all back as soon as I can. I let them all keep their health insurance for the time being, which I pay for 100%.

If a small 10 person shop can do it, so can Amazon.

The idea that anyone, anywhere in the US, is making less than $20/hr during this is morally repugnant to me.

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

#54

Post by jshevek »

uoaei wrote: post #22
jonknee wrote: 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.

>Stop playing PR hype-man for Amazon, they don't need your help.

You can address the other speaker's points without this.

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

#57

Post by strictnein »

speedgoose wrote: post #17

> The company has said criticisms of its safety measures are unfounded. Well, the French justice forced them to improve their safety measures. They had to close down for 5 days to do so. I don't remember reading about them doing that worldwide. However, I do remember them complaining in emails sent to their French customers that they are forced to improve the safety measures and that the French justice is not nice. I…

That's not what happened at all.

The French imposed very arbitrary guidelines on only delivering "essential" goods and they had to stop all deliveries to address them

All these "essential" good definitions are complete nonsense anyways. What one person deems unnecessary can be very, very necessary to someone else.

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

#58

Post by netcan »

claudeganon wrote: post #12

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.

The "class divide" rhetoric re:amazon doesn't go anywhere good, imo. The corporate lesson being learned here is "be like uber," don't ever do mass unemployment directly. Is the goal to "ban" the tech industry from having working class jobs?

I do, btw, happen to agree that amazon warehouse employees should organise. Considering Amazon's massive profitability, there's room to do better.

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

#59

Post by [deleted] »

strictnein wrote: post #57
speedgoose wrote: post #17

> The company has said criticisms of its safety measures are unfounded. Well, the French justice forced them to improve their safety measures. They had to close down for 5 days to do so. I don't remember reading about them doing that worldwide. However, I do remember them complaining in emails sent to their French customers that they are forced to improve the safety measures and that the French justice is not nice. I…

That's not what happened at all. The French imposed very arbitrary guidelines on only delivering "essential" goods and they had to stop all deliveries to address them All these "essential" good definitions are complete nonsense anyways. What one person deems unnecessary can be very, very necessary to someone else.

[deleted]
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