Amazon Now Has More Than 341,000 Employees -- Added 110,000 People Last Year (geekwire.com)

Amazon added more than 110,000 employees during the past year, topping 341,000 people as of the end of 2016 thanks largely to a significant increase in the Seattle-based tech giant's network of fulfillment centers around the world and further expansion of its businesses in several overseas new markets. From a report: Amazon employed just 32,000 people globally five years ago. Amazon's net growth of more than 110,000 people during the past year almost rivals Microsoft's total employment of 120,000 people as of Dec. 31. That comparison of Microsoft and Amazon isn't apples-to-apples given the differences in their businesses, but it gives a sense of the scope of Amazon's employment base. Amazon employs about 40,000 people in Washington state, compared to 45,000 for Microsoft. Amazon doesn't show any signs of slowing down. The company said previously that it plans to add another 100,000 full-time jobs in the U.S. over the next 18 months.

Comments

Labor intensive jobs

[sjbe]

Jobs are good, but these trends in employment resonate on target with those who say we are the first generation in a long time who will not leave a better life for our children.

Well that's what Trump wants. He wants to "bring back manufacturing jobs" to the US. Never mind that the factory jobs that left the US did so because of high labor rates and the only way to get them back and keep them is to pay people competitive wages... for China. So if you're good with paying people $2/hour then we can bring back all kinds of jobs. But they won't be ones with good wages. The ones with good wages aren't for slapping together happy meal toys.

Now if you want high paying jobs then you have to invest in education, research, infrastructure, etc and train people to do jobs that are worth more than unskilled assembly work will ever justify.

Re:Labor intensive jobs

[__aaclcg7560]

Never mind that the factory jobs that left the US did so because of high labor rates and the only way to get them back and keep them is to pay people competitive wages... for China.

Manufacturing jobs are returning to the US because labor is getting too expensive in China, as Chinese workers want a middle class lifestyle. But the new factories in the US require fewer workers and those workers must possess a college degree, eliminating the vast majority of Trump voters who are eagerly waiting for the 1980's manufacturing jobs to return.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/education/edlife/factory-workers-college-degree-apprenticeships.html

Re:Labor intensive jobs

[GLMDesigns]

Jobs didn't leave the US simply because of high labor rates but also taxation. Sometimes we create unnecessary regulatory hurdles. and considering the lackadaisical response by the bureaucracy you can't be surprised.

Example in some places you need to have signs approved by a board that meets once a month. (I have been part of this process)

The rational solution would be (if you want regulations) to have the requirements clearly laid out. Example: The sign

may be no bigger than x
allowable fonts are:
allowable colors are:
sign must include x and y with a font size no smaller than z.

Should company want something difference then they can go and get a variance.

When you simplify things to simply "labor" costs you are missing the crux of the matter.

How long it takes to open a store, and the hurdles you have to jump through, is FAR more expensive and FAR more off-putting than you think.