The way this article starts reminded me of the first chapter of "Manna" by Marshall Brain[1]. Ironically, when I read this, I really thought that the first company I would see using such a system would be Amazon.
Amazon Unpacked
41–50 of 68 posts
Re: Amazon Unpacked
#42While many have seemed to point out the issues with the work here, the more subtle implication in the article is that temporary staffing agencies and the way they facilitate transactional labor are a more serious part of the problem. The Amazon employees have shares, equity, and incentives but the temporary labor does not, and cannot miss a shift. The 4AM Army article in Time also addresses this, and there may be a better middle ground for temporary labor than what is provided:
http://nation.time.com/2013/06/27/the-4-am-army/
Re: Amazon Unpacked
#43I work in a distribution center (not one of Amazon's and not on the floor). What they're describing in the article is pretty much industry standard for non-robotic picking. It's a very difficult and demanding job and we're very up front about that. People take the job figuring they can sling a few boxes and a large percent leave within their probationary period because they underestimate the work no matter how much y…
we pay well over minimum wage because of the nature of the work
The article indicates the basic wage is one penny over minimum wage.
Re: Amazon Unpacked
#44I work in a distribution center (not one of Amazon's and not on the floor). What they're describing in the article is pretty much industry standard for non-robotic picking. It's a very difficult and demanding job and we're very up front about that. People take the job figuring they can sling a few boxes and a large percent leave within their probationary period because they underestimate the work no matter how much y…
The walking part of it was one of the things that jumped out at me. 15 miles is a hike. To do that every day on concrete would tear you up. Since you work at such a place, what is the feasibility of motorized "scooter carts", that you could ride on, perhaps standing up, as you go from location to location?
15 miles is a hike, but it wont tear you up after you do it for a weeek or 2. It only feels like a lot because many office drones expecation of amount of walking a day is anchored at "sit at desk all day." Appalachian Trail hikers start at 8-10 miles a day and work up to around 15 miles a day on a dirt trail over mountains while carrying 1/3 of their body weight! And they do that every single day.
15 miles a day is no big deal, to say nothing of 7 miles a day.
Re: Amazon Unpacked
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
(please don't compare things to cancer, it does both a disservice)
Metaphor is a common part of every language. Please don't ask people not to use it without clear information on why they shouldn't.
Metaphor is fine. Extreme hyperbole is not. We recognize this with Godwin's law.
Re: Amazon Unpacked
#46My tl;dr:
-Mine went under in mining town
-High unemployment
-Amazon came in and offered jobs
-Jobs paid minimum wage and 8 hour day
-This in practice puts workers in top 8% globally (http://www.givingwhatwecan.org)
-Jobs required moderate labor (~3-6x office work)
-UK's version of OSHA required safety boots which suck
-Amazon uses objective performance measures
Realistically, most of these low skill jobs will not exist in 20 years. So the message of the piece was unjustifiably: "Amazon is evil." In reality, the message should have been: "What will the world look like when even these good jobs are gone?"
Re: Amazon Unpacked
#47My tl;dr: -Mine went under in mining town -High unemployment -Amazon came in and offered jobs -Jobs paid minimum wage and 8 hour day -This in practice puts workers in top 8% globally ( http://www.givingwhatwecan.org ) -Jobs required moderate labor (~3-6x office work) -UK's version of OSHA required safety boots which suck -Amazon uses objective performance measures Realistically, most of these low skill jobs will not…
>>Realistically, most of these low skill jobs will not exist in 20 years.
True. Amazon is already rolling out robots at select fulfillment centers.
But it still stinks that in 2013 so many people don't feel like they are in control of their livelihoods. Not everyone can pass the algorithm tests at Amazon to get one of the good jobs.
Re: Amazon Unpacked
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't know why you're using past tense here. People are still working in mines all over the world and all of those risks you list are their every day reality.
Because the mine in the story we're discussing closed in 1990. I am aware there are still active mines, complete with miners, all over the world.
D'oh, hadn't read the article yet. Sorry about that.
Re: Amazon Unpacked
#491. They don't want you to talk to other people
2. Good exercise
3. Mastery of efficiency is praised
4. Stable job
Seriously, where does the line start?
Re: Amazon Unpacked
#50I'm surprised at the amount of negativity here. It's work. As demonstrated in the article some of these people were surely just subsisting on unemployment prior. My first job wasn't near-minimum wage, it was the absolute minimum. I didn't have work-issued safety boots to complain about, I had to buy my own. I didn't walk around a clean warehouse, I walked around outside cleaning up after every kind of urban nastiness…
Just because you had less than standard working conditions on your first job doesn't mean that others have to go through the same. I am glad it worked out for you in the end but the fact remains that your first employer was not the best one.
I think the negativity doesn't arise from the nature of the work, if I am told that the position requires heavy lifting and walking 15 miles a day then maybe I should consider whether that is something I can do. My negative reaction comes from the shady employment techniques that they seem to be using, such as using the promise of full time employment as a 'dangling carrot', as the article puts it. For a positive reference point, you could research about Costco employees (I can't seem to find the source now), who perform a very similar job (if not more demanding, since there are customers involved) and yet have very high workplace satisfaction rates.