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Amazon instructs New York workers “don't sign” union cards

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Re: Amazon instructs New York workers “don't sign” union cards

#401

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like you’re saying the lack of anonymity will inflate support for a union. I.e. organizers will be able to pressure people who would otherwise vote no on a union. Frankly, I’d be worried about the opposite. Knowing how aggressively amazon is fighting unions, if I worked there i’d hesitate to put my name down on paper - when I wouldn’t hesitate to vote in a secret ballot. If that’s the case, 50% support impli…

Historically, there have been times when intimidation came from the union. There have also been times when intimidation came from management. So, yeah. Secret ballot.

The vast majority of union elections result in more votes for the union than cards signed. It is extremely rare for the number of cards signed to be a higher share than the vote.

Re: Amazon instructs New York workers “don't sign” union cards

#402

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can easily assume that you haven't worked in a warehouse. I have, on multiple warehouse floors, for around 3 years cumulatively. Meanwhile, it's obvious you're projecting your own inexperience. Maybe you're the one who should actually set foot in a warehouse before commenting. > They mostly are terrible. Then I'm sure you'd consider any job away from an air-conditioned office to be terrible. Warehouse work is cer…

For various reasons, I won't be replying after this. > I can easily assume that you haven't worked in a warehouse. I don't think that I should have said this, and my combative tone wasn't constructive to the discussion. It is my normal, sometimes incorrect operating assumption on this site that while the general user knows about tech that they know jack-all about working in retail etc. > Then I'm sure you'd consider…

> Neither of these descriptions provide a positive assertion of warehouse work being not terrible.

And you have every right to that opinion, but that wasn't quite the topic of the discussion; rather, the topic was whether all warehouse working conditions are equally terrible, and my experience (as well as the experiences of my coworkers during that time, some of whom came from Amazon) strongly suggests otherwise.

> I see that you've also fallen for that trap of hating one type of low income work more than another.

That's hardly a "trap"; that's a basic preference for doing hard work v. doing hard work while also being endlessly emotionally abused as part of the job description - and even ignoring Amazon, the former tends to pay at least marginally better.

> Also, maybe you should calm down and take a few deep breaths. Try getting more sleep, eating healthy, going for walks where possible, and limiting caffeine intake.

Maybe you should follow your own advice instead of yet again projecting onto me.

> I've often had enough of people expressing disdain for 'undifferentiated' or 'low-skilled' labor' being undeserving of income necessary to afford living.

And hopefully you realize that I already do agree with that disdain (as is obvious from the other comments of mine on this site over the last 10 years).

> Given the quality of our discussion here I sincerely hope we don't have the displeasure of meeting. Vaya con dios.

If we do, then hopefully it'll be under better circumstances, without the initial hostility.

Re: Amazon instructs New York workers “don't sign” union cards

#403

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This would only be true if there was a technology to automate and it was just too expensive. For jobs that Amazon hires people there isn’t a technology to automate right now. Such technology is being developed (better AI and better robotics), but increasing the budget wouldn’t necessarily speed things up.

You're confusing the absence of the off-the-shelf product with the absence of the technology.

I'm not.

Did you ever work on AI or robotics?

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