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Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

theintercept.com

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Re: Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

#131

Post by mannykannot »

uncomputation wrote: post #49

> The major goal of the program, Amazon’s head of worldwide consumer business, Dave Clark, said, was to reduce employee attrition by fostering happiness among workers — and also productivity. Shout-Outs would be part of a gamified rewards system in which employees are awarded virtual stars and badges for activities that “add direct business value,” documents state. At the meeting, Clark remarked that “some people are…

I'm hoping - and expecting - Amazon workers will game, euphemize, parody, ridicule and covertly subvert this clueless attempt at coercive social engineering for as long as Amazon thinks it is a good idea.

Re: Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

#132

Post by goatlover »

randmeerkat wrote: post #100
uncomputation wrote: post #49

> The major goal of the program, Amazon’s head of worldwide consumer business, Dave Clark, said, was to reduce employee attrition by fostering happiness among workers — and also productivity. Shout-Outs would be part of a gamified rewards system in which employees are awarded virtual stars and badges for activities that “add direct business value,” documents state. At the meeting, Clark remarked that “some people are…

If you still have a prime membership this is a great time to cancel it.

I think I'll watch something on it tonight after making a purchase.

Re: Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

#133

Post by Jasper_ »

eftychis wrote: post #96
uncomputation wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Say you’re a father. You need to support your family, and there’s an Amazon Fulfillment Center in town. It pays a whole dollar an hour better than the local fruit packing warehouse, which is a huge difference. Amazon is providing me a valuable opportunity! Except now, I’m working myself to the bone trying to fulfill my package counts, peeing in bottles, shitting in bags, constantly stressed about if I can not only me…

These working conditions should simply be illegal in the U.S. (and the countries it is not already). There is no way around that. If society doesn't demand that then good luck to all of us. I am simply surprised again and again people haven't "broken" and keep putting up with this.

Yes, it should be illegal. Some of them were once upon a time. But businesses keep lobbying saying that conditions like these are hurting their ability to retain profits, and the laws tend to get clawed back under the pretense of "job creation". Amazon fights tooth and nail to not have to pay the externalities of their terrible working conditions, and stop people organizing to make their workplace better.

Re: Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

#134

Post by mellosouls »

s1artibartfast wrote: post #106

Please keep in mind this is a rewards program text box, not a chat app. The program itself may be stupid, but I don't know any company that would allow these terms in internally visible recognition. My company uses manual review for recognition, but I would expect a call from my manager if I sent a public kudos "Great job fighting for union pay raises for the slave labor at our company"

I don't know any company that would allow these terms in an internally visible recognition.

Certainly not the case at every organisation; unions have a strong presence in some long-established private industries and public sector organisations, including general communications.

Re: Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

#135

Post by gruez »

uncomputation wrote: post #73
FinNerd wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why don’t their employees quit then and work somewhere better if they have the opportunity? If they don’t have a better opportunity than seems like Amazon is providing a valuable opportunity. Not to mention we seem to be in a worker-favorable economy.

Say you’re a father. You need to support your family, and there’s an Amazon Fulfillment Center in town. It pays a whole dollar an hour better than the local fruit packing warehouse, which is a huge difference. Amazon is providing me a valuable opportunity! Except now, I’m working myself to the bone trying to fulfill my package counts, peeing in bottles, shitting in bags, constantly stressed about if I can not only me…

>This is the lesson that we already learned in the 1800s with monopolies; they distort reality. It’s useless to argue “if you don’t want to work for them, don’t” because they often pay just better than your local alternatives, but by virtue of their economy bending power, they will exert an insane amount of control and influence until they are either regulated or there is no competition left and I don’t even have the fruit packing warehouse anymore, but the Amazon Oranges Fulfillment Center.

Amazon is nowhere near a monopoly (or monopsony), at least when it comes to employers.

Re: Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

#136

Post by pmoriarty »

Jasper_ wrote: post #133
eftychis wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These working conditions should simply be illegal in the U.S. (and the countries it is not already). There is no way around that. If society doesn't demand that then good luck to all of us. I am simply surprised again and again people haven't "broken" and keep putting up with this.

Yes, it should be illegal. Some of them were once upon a time. But businesses keep lobbying saying that conditions like these are hurting their ability to retain profits, and the laws tend to get clawed back under the pretense of "job creation". Amazon fights tooth and nail to not have to pay the externalities of their terrible working conditions, and stop people organizing to make their workplace better.

"businesses keep lobbying saying that conditions like these are hurting their ability to retain profits"

There are also plenty of ideologues in Washington who bristle at the mention of regulation, unions, and anything they don't deem as being "pro business".

Re: Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

#137

Post by kelnos »

waterhouse wrote: post #116
uncomputation wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Say you’re a father. You need to support your family, and there’s an Amazon Fulfillment Center in town. It pays a whole dollar an hour better than the local fruit packing warehouse, which is a huge difference. Amazon is providing me a valuable opportunity! Except now, I’m working myself to the bone trying to fulfill my package counts, peeing in bottles, shitting in bags, constantly stressed about if I can not only me…

If the conditions are that bad, are they really worth the extra dollar per hour? Seems like the fruit packing warehouse is a better choice for most people. Worse employment conditions will always come with a pay premium under competition.

Some people don't really have a choice; that extra dollar each hour might mean housing or food security. And, say, a parent in a household might think that's the trade off they have to make: they're horrifyingly miserable, but their spouse and kids get to be better off.

But that's a trade off no one should have to make: it's messed up that we as a society allow this state of affairs to exist in the first place.

And yet here I am, not canceling my Prime membership, because I suck. But hell, if Prime cost 2x what it currently does, and that got the workers involved good working conditions, I would still pay it. Not sure how many people would, though.

Re: Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

#138

Post by randomfinn »

aaomidi wrote: post #118
randmeerkat wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you still have a prime membership this is a great time to cancel it.

If you have a senator or representative this would be a great time to ask what the fuck is the NLRB doing when there's this much anti union activity going on? And if they don't respond some more direct action might be necessary.

> If you have a senator or representative

Most of us don't, but I've been looking at the lobbying numbers and they don't seem that expensive.

I think with crowd funding and smart targeting of the money it might not be that difficult to buy change.

Re: Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

#139

Post by s1artibartfast »

mellosouls wrote: post #134
s1artibartfast wrote: post #106

Please keep in mind this is a rewards program text box, not a chat app. The program itself may be stupid, but I don't know any company that would allow these terms in internally visible recognition. My company uses manual review for recognition, but I would expect a call from my manager if I sent a public kudos "Great job fighting for union pay raises for the slave labor at our company"

I don't know any company that would allow these terms in an internally visible recognition. Certainly not the case at every organisation; unions have a strong presence in some long-established private industries and public sector organisations, including general communications.

Do those companies have recognition programs where where you can reward people for union topics?

Re: Amazon worker chat app to ban words such as “union”, “pay raise”, “slave labor”

#140

Post by dh2022 »

uncomputation wrote: post #73
FinNerd wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why don’t their employees quit then and work somewhere better if they have the opportunity? If they don’t have a better opportunity than seems like Amazon is providing a valuable opportunity. Not to mention we seem to be in a worker-favorable economy.

Say you’re a father. You need to support your family, and there’s an Amazon Fulfillment Center in town. It pays a whole dollar an hour better than the local fruit packing warehouse, which is a huge difference. Amazon is providing me a valuable opportunity! Except now, I’m working myself to the bone trying to fulfill my package counts, peeing in bottles, shitting in bags, constantly stressed about if I can not only me…

Like the person above you mentioned: "we seem to be in a worker-favorable economy". Nobody would do what you said for another dollar per hour. I worked lots of minimum wage jobs and none of my co-workers would have shit in bags, pee in bottle for another dollar / hour. Please keep the conversation at an intelligent level.
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