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Black Friday Protest Sites Included An Amazon Warehouse (thecourier.co.uk)
An anonymous reader writes:
Friday a group of protesters picketed Amazon's warehouse in Dunfermline, Scotland, alleging workers there face "up to 60 hours per week for little more than the minimum wage," according to an article in The Courier. "They also claim that new workers are tracked and monitored every minute of their working day and sacked if they fail to meet targets... Amazon has dismissed the claims, insisting that the firm values its employees and maintains a 'culture of direct dialogue' with them."
But around the world, more than 1 million people celebrated Buy Nothing Day on Friday, according to the editor in chief of Adbusters, saying their event has now spread to more than 60 countries. The Adbusters.org site suggested protesters stage zombie walks to parody the mindlessness of consumerism, and urged credit card-cutting ceremonies as well as "Whirl-Marts," where large groups of people "silently drive your shopping carts around in a long, inexplicable conga line without ever actually buying anything." The site is also sharing downloadable images which can be printed out for posters "to insert into public spaces."
One prominent retailer even closed both its physical and online stores Friday and gave all of its 12,000 employees the day off, according to USA Today. REI, which sells outdoor recreational equipment, was encouraging people to take advantage of Friday's free admission to many state parks for the second year in a row, and as many as 2.7 million people "pledged to participate" using the company's hashtag, #OptOutside.
But around the world, more than 1 million people celebrated Buy Nothing Day on Friday, according to the editor in chief of Adbusters, saying their event has now spread to more than 60 countries. The Adbusters.org site suggested protesters stage zombie walks to parody the mindlessness of consumerism, and urged credit card-cutting ceremonies as well as "Whirl-Marts," where large groups of people "silently drive your shopping carts around in a long, inexplicable conga line without ever actually buying anything." The site is also sharing downloadable images which can be printed out for posters "to insert into public spaces."
One prominent retailer even closed both its physical and online stores Friday and gave all of its 12,000 employees the day off, according to USA Today. REI, which sells outdoor recreational equipment, was encouraging people to take advantage of Friday's free admission to many state parks for the second year in a row, and as many as 2.7 million people "pledged to participate" using the company's hashtag, #OptOutside.
I'm a good customer of Amazon's and make multiple purchases pretty much every month, but the protesters have a good point about the working conditions (and according to that NYT piece, that apparently extends to the white collar workforce as well, except maybe for the compensation). More power to them.
Amazon has dismissed the claims, insisting that the firm values its employees and maintains a 'culture of direct dialogue' with them
Here's how that "direct dialogue" goes, "Oh, you have a problem with your job? Ok, I'll listen to your complaints while security escorts you out the door."
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
A lot of minimum wage people would love to get 60 hours a week of work.
The Walmart effect
It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
no catching a trespassing charge (and others if the LEO is in a bad mood) is the big issue if you go to store you need to be there to 1 BUY 2 Shop 3 return an item going to a store to interfere with that store doing business is criminal
Silly America. One day they'll learn
Friday a group of protesters picketed Amazon's warehouse in Dunfermline, Scotland
I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
Did you know the average smoker is killed 17 times per day?
OK, I don't mind the 17 times thing, but what is the cost of resuscitating this poor soul just to off him again?
Also, is it the same smoker day after day or do you pick a new smoker everyday?
And if it's the latter, is there a nomination process or is the selection random?
Lastly, is this occurring near a medical supply company so the participants can cash in on Black Friday savings on things like defibrillator gel and EKG leads?
You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
They did this scam last year too
The point was to give their workers the day off, which they did, so I don't see how it is a "scam".
... and it increased their online sales by a large amount due to the free publicity.
Good. They deserve it. Maybe this will serve as an example for others that treating workers well can be good business.
Um, the protest in the story is taking place in Scotland. It's not Thanksgiving in Scotland.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Why should such jobs pay much?
I guess it depends on your view of how an economy works.
I canna say how it works in Scotland, but here in the states if you are working a minimum wage job, a whole world of government subsidized services are opened to you.
It's an interesting conundrum, as the largest employer in the US would claim that raising the minimum wage is a socialist or at least anti-capitalist action, while fully knowing that it allows their workforce to be subsidized by the taxpayers. Purposeful socialism under the guise of capitalism.
And here's the interesting part of that whole scenario. As we travel down this road, unless we start killing those at the bottom rung, the old threat of automating the job loses it's power, because since they are already on the dole from the start, it might make more sense to just stop working altogether. Brought to us by the people whose words say one thing, and actions, another.
The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.
I bought three Nike Golf polos on Kohl's website yesterday for $50. I'm not a big Nike guy, but those shirts are awesome for work, and normally cost about three times that price.
#buycott
So let me get this right - you paid ONLY one-third the normal price for the 'privilege' of allowing Nike to use your body as a walking billboard? Good for you my man - way to grab a bargain! I suppose it never occurred to you that if you were advertising for Nike on a building you own or a magazine you publish, THEY would pay YOU for advertising for them.
Why should plastering a company's logo on your body cost YOU money?
'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
Walmart pays poorly because the jobs it hires people for are mostly unskilled labor. Training consists of "take this, put it there". The alternative to "subsidizing Walmart" is that they get nothing from Walmart and everything from the government. Which is cheaper?
Now just between you and me, there is money to be made at Walmart. And like it or not, the higher paid positions are not exactly rocket science either.
As for your interesting "what the market will bear" remark, it should be cheaper in the end to have WalMart pay a wage that allows it's employees to survive without government assistance. That's simple efficiency. You can't have it both ways of wanting government subsidies because cheap, while banging a free market drum.
Raising the minimum wage is just shifting the burden of welfare funding from the public to Walmart, which will have to raise prices to compensate.
What the holy baby jeebuz in a pup tent? If a person is working and getting paid, and living off it - it isn't welfare.
And dear Coward, if Walmart can't pay a wage that allows it's employees to not have to take money from the government, perhaps it is using a flawed business model, and should do what the market does to failed business models. Puts them out of business.
As their entire business model is "sell stuff cheap to poor people", you are risking killing one of the most successful businesses ever in order to achieve your social goals. And, at the end, who gets screwed? The poor who shop at Walmart.
Sounds awesome. Make everyone poor as possible so they can shop at Walmart.
The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.