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Struggling Workers Found Sleeping In Tents Behind Amazon's Warehouse (thecourier.co.uk)
"At least three tents have been spotted in woodland beside the online retail giant's base," reports a Scottish newspaper -- hidden behind trees, but within sight of Amazon's warehouse, and right next to a busy highway. An anonymous reader writes:
Despite Scotland's "bitterly cold winter nights" -- with lows in the 30s -- the tent "was easier and cheaper than commuting from his home," one Amazon worker told the Courier. (Though yesterday someone stole all of his camping equipment.) Amazon charges its employees for shuttle service to the fulfillment center, which "swallows up a lot of the weekly wage," one political party leader told the Courier, "forcing people to seek ever more desperate ways of making work pay.
"Amazon should be ashamed that they pay their workers so little that they have to camp out in the dead of winter to make ends meet..." he continued. "They pay a small amount of tax and received millions of pounds from the Scottish National Party Government, so the least they should do is pay the proper living wage." Though the newspaper reports that holiday shopping has created 4,000 temporary jobs in the small town of Dunfermline, "The company came under fire last month from local activists who claimed that agency workers are working up to 60 hours per week for little more than the minimum wage and are harshly treated."
Amazon responded, "The safety and well-being of our permanent and temporary associates is our number one priority."
"Amazon should be ashamed that they pay their workers so little that they have to camp out in the dead of winter to make ends meet..." he continued. "They pay a small amount of tax and received millions of pounds from the Scottish National Party Government, so the least they should do is pay the proper living wage." Though the newspaper reports that holiday shopping has created 4,000 temporary jobs in the small town of Dunfermline, "The company came under fire last month from local activists who claimed that agency workers are working up to 60 hours per week for little more than the minimum wage and are harshly treated."
Amazon responded, "The safety and well-being of our permanent and temporary associates is our number one priority."
I was told the economy in that area was great and that it would all be ruined by Brexit. If the economy is so terrific, how can Amazon find any unemployed people to work at their fulfillment centers?
I have a cousin who worked as a delivery driver for Amazon Now, contracted through some no-name third party company. He said he really liked it because in a typical day he made between $200 and $300 in wage+tips, but after the media did an "expose" on the fact that Amazon was treating them as contract-for-hire with no benefits, then suddenly he stopped getting work.
Nobody was forcing him to do that work, but whistleblowing like this likely did force him to stop.
if you're not paid enough, find another job!
A 2nd-order economic fallacy: "There are an infinite number of jobs".
It is a derivative of the base, first order fallacy: "infinite consumption".
We will always have infinite consumption because of ever increasing population (see: Malthus) and ever increasing wants and needs. No matter how much food or shelter you have, you will always want more. It's basic human nature.
Infinite consumption demands infinite production, which necessarily requires infinite labor.
If you're not paid enough, go find another job!
It's not as if they are in limited supply...
Came across an article (https://www.fastcompany.com/3061686/free-shipping-is-a-lie) a few weeks ago that spells out part of the problem: Amazon loses around 45% of all shipping costs. They can take part of the hit because they have so much volume, but it also has to be paid for somewhere...and how they treat their staff is an obvious area in this instance.
Full disclosure: I also work for an online shop, and we struggle with the idea of 'free shipping'. Since we deal with food, our margins are already low, plus we ship a lot of refrigerated items, so a lot need expedited delivery. In the US it's not so bad (seems like $8 will get many packages just about anywhere in 2 days), but here in Canada, shipping fees are brutal -- even shipping in our own city is a minimum of about $10 -- and no doubt most people expect free shipping as well. As the article points out: it's just not sustainable. 'Free shipping' fees are paid elsewhere down the line.
I so wish I had mod points. I wish more people would realize that jobs have become a zero sum game to the corps.
Cut the financial incentive for employees to move up the ranks in half and see how well that company performs.
26.5% of salary as rent and you are complaining? Try living in the Bay area. Here is a sample Budget
$125000 a year for a mid level person with a family.
=$10500 a month Gross
=$9500 a month after Social security and Medicare
=$8800 a month after federal taxes
=$8000 a month after California taxes and SDi
=$7000 a month after Health Insurance premiums for a family of 4
=$6000 a month after 401K (retirement contribution as there are no pensions)
=$6000 a month take home
=$3000 a month after rent (Rent for a crappy 2 Bedroom apt is $3000 and can go all the way upto $6000 in silicon valley)
=$2500 a month after utilities (no the 3000 a month does not include utilities or renters insurance)
=$2000 a month after Car payments,Insurance and Gas
Now family of 4 eating 3 times a day for 30 days a month = 360 meals. Assuming a $5 per person/meal =$1800
=$200 a month after food
With that $200 you have to buy school supplies, car repairs, any other emergency.
Pretty much the only entertainment you can afford is TV and a little eating out once in a while.
No savings for childrens college
No savings for replacing car when it breaks down so next car will also have to be on loan
No savings for saving a downpayment to actually buy a house
No savings for if you lose your job. Plus if you are working on a visa you wont get unemployment even though you pay into Social Security.
No scope for signing up children to extra classes so if your public school is messing up they are screwed as you cant pay for college. Their only hope is scholarships
No scope for getting a divorce if your marriage is not working out as you cannot afford to pay alimony, child support and rent on 2 places.
Do note 50% of take home goes to rent and another 10% to utilities so the basic cost of keeping a roof over your head is 60% of take home.
**Life is too short to be serious**
Heh. I worked at a place that made specialized data processing equipment. We had a shower so people could ride to work, say, or work out during lunch.
One of the engineers was living in his car in the parking lot, and at the time this guy had to have been making more than the average household income. I asked him why he didn't get an apartment and he shrugged and said he didn't see any reason to.
It's nearly Christmas, so time to being out the Christmas themed quotes.
Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?
SJW n. One who posts facts.