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Amazon training video on handling unionizing activity (2018) [video]

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Re: Amazon training video on handling unionizing activity (2018) [video]

#81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So … this clip is the first bad thing you’ve seen about Amazon and its business practices? Are you one of the 10,000 that is just learning about Amazon today?

[flagged]

Well, if it helps, I am really sorry about your life and that of millions of people.

I get it, I order there too occasionally, but...

Re: Amazon training video on handling unionizing activity (2018) [video]

#82

What a beautiful example of propaganda, in the truest sense of the term. The guitar intro is folksy, the guy is warm and lovely, and _excited_ to have us at this training.... it's about your "success". Success of course, is not getting fired for being a collaborator with counter-revolutionary "associates" who reject Generalissimo Uberführer Bezos inspired vision and "history making" five year masterplan for "direct w…

Years 2020 and 2021 are rich for topic about propaganda. I never understood why there was something like holocaust in history. After covid, I understand how fear, media and oppression shape behavior.

What bothers me more is question, if we can ever learn from history.

Re: Amazon training video on handling unionizing activity (2018) [video]

#83

What a beautiful example of propaganda, in the truest sense of the term. The guitar intro is folksy, the guy is warm and lovely, and _excited_ to have us at this training.... it's about your "success". Success of course, is not getting fired for being a collaborator with counter-revolutionary "associates" who reject Generalissimo Uberführer Bezos inspired vision and "history making" five year masterplan for "direct w…

[flagged]

Re: Amazon training video on handling unionizing activity (2018) [video]

#84
post #8

So I did my first part in trying to support everyone who dislikes this as much as I do. I cancelled my Prime and I will try to not purchase anything from Amazon for a year. It's not much, but it's something. I invite everyone to do the same.

Goodonya. Here's what I did. It's not for everyone. It was painful, awkward and led to a lot of bother... but ultimately I feel proud of myself and how the other responded. I rejected a gift that came in an Amazon box. Very politely, and apologetically., I said, "I'm really sorry, but I can't accept this." And why, (working conditions, monopoly etc). It had an effect not only on myself - to make an ideological whimsy…

I agree with your sentiment, but equally with the other reply that points out how this may backfire and embarrass the gift giver.

I've previously turned down Amazon gift cards at things like social games nights, quizzes etc in the past and asked instead for the equivalent value to be donated to charity. In this case I think there's less risk of embarrassing the giver (there's no personal connection) but hopefully achieves something similar to your intent.

Re: Amazon training video on handling unionizing activity (2018) [video]

#85

> Our business model is built on speed, innovation, and customer obsession. Things not generally associated with unions. Unions are there to stop employers using their might to exploit their workers - sorry - associates. Unions and management have a valid stake in the company. No company, no workers, no profit.

Debatable. Unions can also be seen as there to benefit current union workers only. Milton Friedman is as libertarian as it gets, but he makes a good case about how unions only serve current employees, and have no incentive to see the business grow and serve & hire more people if it does not lead to higher wages for employees.

> no incentive to see the business grow and serve & hire more people if it does not lead to higher wages for employees

The alternative being lower wages for the same work? This argument doesn’t make sense to me, unless he implicitly agrees companies only grow by exploiting workers.

Re: Amazon training video on handling unionizing activity (2018) [video]

#86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So … this clip is the first bad thing you’ve seen about Amazon and its business practices? Are you one of the 10,000 that is just learning about Amazon today?

[flagged]

> I oppose unions

May I ask why, and if you don't mind, where you're from? I ask because I see anti-union sentiment online fairly often, and typically from Americans. I don't understand why unions are so mistrusted there.

I've lived my life in countries where unions are a normal thing that most people wouldn't think twice about, whether they are a member or not.

Re: Amazon training video on handling unionizing activity (2018) [video]

#87
post #78

> Our business model is built on speed, innovation, and customer obsession. Things not generally associated with unions. Unions are there to stop employers using their might to exploit their workers - sorry - associates. Unions and management have a valid stake in the company. No company, no workers, no profit.

Unions are there to take care of the interests of their members. This is undeniably good for their members, but I'd like to remind you that it's not always good for outsiders. For example, the union of California's prison guards (California Correctional Peace Officers Association) have helped lobby for the "three strikes" rule to get more people in prison: https://academic.oup.com/book/11009/chapter-abstract/1593367.…

Arguably prisons should not be privatized in the first place. There are problems associated with prison and police unions in general but this specific problem is largely a result of prison guards having a direct incentive to want more people in prison.

Re: Amazon training video on handling unionizing activity (2018) [video]

#89

> Our business model is built on speed, innovation, and customer obsession. Things not generally associated with unions. Unions are there to stop employers using their might to exploit their workers - sorry - associates. Unions and management have a valid stake in the company. No company, no workers, no profit.

Debatable. Unions can also be seen as there to benefit current union workers only. Milton Friedman is as libertarian as it gets, but he makes a good case about how unions only serve current employees, and have no incentive to see the business grow and serve & hire more people if it does not lead to higher wages for employees.

I don't know how Milton Friedman being extremely libertarian is a reason his criticism of unions should be taken more seriously. Libertarians (in the modern political sense, i.e. right libertarians) are generally anti-union because they want free enterprise and unions interfere with the freedom of business/capital owners.

But you're right to an extent: unions are a stop gap. The better option would be collectivization, turning the business into a cooperative so all workers have a stake in the success of the company and unlike shareholders have a strong interest in its sustainability, which may in some cases involve lowering wages (to weather a loss of income during a market downturn or to allow more room for investments, not to increase profits in quarterly reports).

Re: Amazon training video on handling unionizing activity (2018) [video]

#90

What a beautiful example of propaganda, in the truest sense of the term. The guitar intro is folksy, the guy is warm and lovely, and _excited_ to have us at this training.... it's about your "success". Success of course, is not getting fired for being a collaborator with counter-revolutionary "associates" who reject Generalissimo Uberführer Bezos inspired vision and "history making" five year masterplan for "direct w…

[flagged]

It was a good comment with the sarcasm included.
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