Here's what you need to know this week:
If you follow us on Facebook, you probably saw this week that we asked everyone to skip Amazon's Prime Day. That's because workers in Amazon's facility in Minnesota stood together and walked out for this event which has raked in billions each year for the company. Though these workers don't currently have union representation, this walkout is significant as it marks the first of such kind in a US facility during a peak period like Prime Day. These workers are protesting the abysmal working conditions found at facilities in Minnesota and around the world. So, what's the real cost of free two-day shipping?
For starters, many of these issues stem from the need for workers to "make rate". Amazon uses a complex system for tracking employees at work and monitoring the speed at which they complete warehouse tasks. The process is almost completely automated and includes a computer-controlled warning system that holds workers' feet to the fire if they start to slow down (the company refers to this as "Time-off-Task"). The work rates are standardized in each warehouse, and reports indicate that employees who are flagged by the system enough times are terminated. This results in hundreds of employees losing jobs every year at a single warehouse, and suggests that the nationwide turnover rate from this system is in the thousands.
When employees are constantly under automated supervision and treated like machines, many resort to desperate measures to "make rate" and keep their jobs. Last year, it was reported that Amazon workers in the UK repeatedly resorted to bottles and trash cans on bathroom breaks out of fear that their rate would fall and result in termination. Employees stated that warehouses were so large, and restrooms so infrequently placed, that it would be impossible for them to make it there in a time that the system would find satisfactory. In some cases, employees would even refuse to drink water to attempt to avoid this situation altogether.
This gets even worse when seasonal spikes occur. Reports from numerous Amazon employees say that during the holidays, workers are forced to endure mandatory overtime, working 60 hours a week for weeks at a time. Holidays are often banned, and Amazon's strict tracking system for unpaid time (for workers to take off for personal circumstances) means that employees who slip over the line of using too much are often terminated immediately and escorted off of the premises. Naturally, as hours rise during peak season, these occurrences become more frequent. This means that many workers are thrown out within days of the holidays.
Finally, with such a high-stress working environment and lackluster safety protections in warehouses, workplace injuries are common. Whether it be because of job fatigue and repetitive motion injuries, the handling of improperly packaged goods, or warehouse injuries from large and complex equipment, workers report that ambulance calls to facilities are common. What's even worse is that there are countless reports of Amazon leaving workers to suffer after injuries, with many reporting being shorted on compensation, losing their homes, and even struggling to afford food during the recovery period.
Of course, Amazon denies all of it. When questioned, the company usually claims that workers' stories are untrue and frequently flaunts their $15/hr minimum wage (though admirable, an increasingly common excuse for employers to oppose unions and basic rights on the job) and continues to oppose a union for their workers. With all of this, we stand with Amazon workers who are fighting against these inhumane conditions now and in the future, and we hope you will do the same.
Here's what's coming up:
- On Wednesday (7/24), we'll be holding our bimonthly Quad County meeting. This meeting serves as an avenue for all union activists in Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, and Sumter Counties to get involved with the CLC. The meeting will take place from 6:30PM to 8:30PM at Beef 'O' Brady's in Brooksville (7601 Horse Lake Rd). If you live in the area, come out and join us!
- On Thursday (7/25), our Florida Future Labor Leaders (FFLL) chapter will be holding their July general meeting. The meeting will take place at 6PM at Teamsters 79 (5818 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tampa). FFLL is the official voice for young workers in our CLC and the Florida AFL-CIO, and all young or early career workers are invited to attend. RSVP HERE
- As a reminder, our council will be screening candidates for St Petersburg City Council elections on Saturday, July 27th. Screenings will be held at NALC 1477 (5369 Park Blvd N, Pinellas Park) at 9AM. This is a nonpartisan race, and questionnaires have been sent out to ALL candidates in the races being screened. We hope that all locals will send delegates to participate.
Keep in Mind:
We're still looking for feedback on our union member survey, so be sure to fill it out and share it around if you haven't already. It won't take more than a few minutes, and it will provide us with valuable insight as to how we can best fight for you.
CLICK HERE to take the survey.
This survey is intended only for members of affiliated unions of the West Central Florida Labor Council.
That's all for this week! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates. If you would like to receive text message alerts from the Florida AFL-CIO (Msg & data rates may apply), text FLUNION to 235246!
In Solidarity,
West Central Florida Labor Council
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