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Online shoppers recently stormed Amazon’s website to check out Prime Day for choice deals and specials. It is estimated that, thanks to the sales made for Prime Day, they have surpassed their Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales combined. Not only have they sold many items, but they have also helped many other companies. On Prime Day, items from these other companies are sold on Amazon’s website for special deals that many people flock to. These companies include Best Buy, Walmart, and Target; just to name a few. They have also made money off of Prime memberships and exclusive items that Amazon sells of their own.
Prime Day first started in 2015, as a celebration of their 20th anniversary. Since then, Amazon with the help of their Prime Day, has a grown into a retail giant that many people now use daily. Despite having a couple of successful sales days, one group of people that do not seem to be mentioned are Amazon’s workers.
Their workers, throughout the past couple of days, have been protesting across the country. These protests started in 2018 and have continued into 2019. They have have been protesting because they face psychological and physical harm while in the workplace. These protests have stemmed from employees facing dreadful working conditions to not having enough pay, and even horrible treatment. There have been reports of people being overworked and possibly contemplating suicide. People have also reportedly not been able to get water during breaks. There are high temperatures in the workplace, and many have had to work in dangerous conditions. A worker has even gone as far as to describe the workplace as a “21st-century sweatshop.”
Not only are conditions gruesome in the workplace, but there have been reports of Amazon working with ICE and other government agencies. It is reported that they are working together to develop face-recognition software. With these new technologies, it makes it easier for ICE to identify and locate immigrants in the country. Many people and lawmakers have responded to these conditions and are trying to get to the bottom of the situation.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and other lawmakers have co-signed a letter, which was sent to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA.) This letter addresses the conditions that have been protested by Amazon workers and demand an investigation to be conducted. The company has responded to these allegations and welcome the investigation. They say that
As for the letter, we welcome OSHA to visit our facilities, just as we offer public tours to any member of the public. They will see that we offer a safe workplace with industry-leading pay starting at $15/hr, benefits, and education opportunities.
Prime Day has and will continue to be a major success for Amazon, but one group that is not reaping the benefits are the workers. Workers and protesters, with the help of lawmakers, are attempting to make a change in working conditions. Whether the protested issues at the workplace are true or not, the investigation will reveal the truth concerning Amazon’s working conditions. Meanwhile, the company continues to strive as one of the most prosperous and reliable stores in the entire world.
Written by Fernando Rosell
Sources:
Democracy Now: Amazon Workers Demand Fair Pay & Conditions as Company Continues Undercutting Rivals
Fox News: AOC, Sanders demand probe of Amazon’s ‘grueling, unsafe’ workplace conditions
CNBC: Amazon says this year’s Prime Day surpassed Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined
Featured Image and Top Image Courtesy of Global Panorama’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License