One survey of Amazon facilities showed that74% of Amazon workers skip going to the bathroom to avoid having their pay cut, and over 80% said they would never apply for another Amazon job again.
I once worked for an American company doing contract document copying . The hours of work were 6 a.m to 6 p.m , with half an hour for lunch. You had to get permission from the supervisor to go to the toilet and were docked pay if you were away from the machine for more than five minutes. This was as close to slave labour as I ever got, but it had a good side – when I eventually ran my own company the workers were treated as human beings.
Yes, I admit to using Amazon. I sent a book to a member of my family and it reached her almost exactly 24 hours later. Regrettably, you can’t beat that (even if the speed, in this instance, was unnecessary). But I am increasingly regarding using Amazon as a moral issue.
I never use Amazon now. I cancelled my Amazon Prime subscription two years ago, and have never used them since. Jeff Bezos is the richest person in the world, yet his workers languish in squalid conditions. I’m not a socialist or a trade unionist, but I fully support the Amazon strikers demanding proper pay, time off, and a reasonable working culture. I also prefer to spend my money supporting the traditional high street, which is in serious trouble here in the UK.
You are quite right. And at the very least Amazon should be made to pay tax!