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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”

#161

Post by hhs »

KennyBlanken wrote: post #124
randmeerkat wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

And if Amazon is trying to set up a distribution center in your state, county, or town: fight it. At the very least insist on language that prohibits any sort of corporate welfare. No tax breaks, no free infrastructure. Bezos is the richest man in the world; he can afford to run a new sewer or water main to his big fancy warehouses, instead of making a county's worth of low-income blue-collar folks pay for it. He can…

The writers of South Park commented on this (and which, more broadly, was inspired by a Ray Bradbury novel): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_Wall-Mart_This_Way_C...

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

#162

Post by someelephant »

grapeskin wrote: post #157
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…

The scariest thing isn't that Amazon is a company worth nearly trillions and using that money to oppress workers to maintain their lead. It's that tech workers are happily applying to get a decent paycheck and crushing people under them, just to protect the company's billions. Then they'll post online about how happy they are to have been smart enough to save up to buy a lakefront home and retire at 45, and say peopl…

Seems odd to blame other workers here even if they do make a lot of money. The only way workers will be helped is other jobs provide better value to the worker or companies are regulated to provide better conditions. Personal and corporate interests will always trump community interests.

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

#163

Post by marricks »

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"

The article referred to it as an "internal social media program."

Why call it something else? Do you know more about its functionality you wish to share with the rest of us?

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

#164

Post by eftychis »

pmoriarty wrote: post #136
Jasper_ wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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".

(General question, I agree with your statement above.) How is it pro business to ensure that employees -- a major stakeholder in businesses don't want to stay there? This historically, doesn't end well, right?

This is beyond splitting profits; it's driving back to Victorian era, and that did not end well for businesses. Increase in unemployment is just a sign.

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

#165

Post by randmeerkat »

someelephant wrote: post #162
grapeskin wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The scariest thing isn't that Amazon is a company worth nearly trillions and using that money to oppress workers to maintain their lead. It's that tech workers are happily applying to get a decent paycheck and crushing people under them, just to protect the company's billions. Then they'll post online about how happy they are to have been smart enough to save up to buy a lakefront home and retire at 45, and say peopl…

Seems odd to blame other workers here even if they do make a lot of money. The only way workers will be helped is other jobs provide better value to the worker or companies are regulated to provide better conditions. Personal and corporate interests will always trump community interests.

> Personal and corporate interests will always trump community interests.

People _are_ responsible for the choices they make _and_ the entities they choose to empower…

Anyhow… I’ve known engineers that have chosen community over themselves…

Regardless, you’re on HN, fortunately you don’t have to make that choice. Instead you can skip FAANG toxicity and join a startup “community” that aligns with your values. Even better you can start your own startup. The payout is also potentially far better than grinding at a soul sucking FAANG position for years.

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

#166

Post by coredog64 »

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…

cough phonetool cough

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

#167

Post by notreallyserio »

someelephant wrote: post #162
grapeskin wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The scariest thing isn't that Amazon is a company worth nearly trillions and using that money to oppress workers to maintain their lead. It's that tech workers are happily applying to get a decent paycheck and crushing people under them, just to protect the company's billions. Then they'll post online about how happy they are to have been smart enough to save up to buy a lakefront home and retire at 45, and say peopl…

Seems odd to blame other workers here even if they do make a lot of money. The only way workers will be helped is other jobs provide better value to the worker or companies are regulated to provide better conditions. Personal and corporate interests will always trump community interests.

> Personal and corporate interests will always trump community interests.

There are plenty of folks that won't put personal enrichment above abhorrent labor practices.

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

#168

Post by grapeskin »

someelephant wrote: post #162
grapeskin wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The scariest thing isn't that Amazon is a company worth nearly trillions and using that money to oppress workers to maintain their lead. It's that tech workers are happily applying to get a decent paycheck and crushing people under them, just to protect the company's billions. Then they'll post online about how happy they are to have been smart enough to save up to buy a lakefront home and retire at 45, and say peopl…

Seems odd to blame other workers here even if they do make a lot of money. The only way workers will be helped is other jobs provide better value to the worker or companies are regulated to provide better conditions. Personal and corporate interests will always trump community interests.

Tech workers can skip FAANG’s 300k salaries and still do fine with 180k at a more ethical company. Those people are responsible.

The people slaving for 50 cents over minimum wage and still being unable to pay rent don’t have much of a choice.

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

#170

Post by mathgladiator »

coredog64 wrote: post #166
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…

cough phonetool cough

Some of us played the game and invented our own badges. I had one for deploying a service of over 100,000 hosts while asleep.
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