On Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 12:38 PM, John Francis <[email protected]> wrote: > > I wonder just how many of the complaints are just because these > are temporary workers booked through one particular temp agency? > > For one thing, what's ridiculous about "find your own transport > or pay to use our bus" (supplied, note, by the temp agency, not > by Amazon). That's been the deal almost everywhere I've ever > worked - only one place had a free shuttle from downtown to the > office, and even there I still had to get to the pickup point. > > Another point: hourly-paid temporary workers aren't eligible for > paid sick leave in most places I know. And if you're hiring lots > of temporary workers you want people who will show up - if there > are more applicants than there are jobs most managers will choose > to hire workers who can be relied on to show up. It's not as if > people are being fired from permanent positions - temp contracts > are generally on a week-to-week (or even day-to-day) basis. > Failing to renew a contract is not the same as firing somebody. > > Not that I'm saying the article is totally without substance. But > it looks to me like tabloid journalism, not news reporting.
I'm sure that Amazon is more than happy to wipe their hands clean - after all, they contracted out their warehousing/distribution services, so personnel/human rights issues are now owned by the warehouse, right? The reality is that Amazon will do whatever they can to decrease their costs. They know damn well that by selling distribution to the lowest bidder that the warehouse will be paying rock-bottom wages and mistreating their employees. With the economy in the tank, they know that thousands are so desperate for jobs that they'll take almost anything, and that they'll put up with all sorts of crap because if they lose this job, the next step is welfare. It's simple supply and demand, right? Worker pool big, wages low. Amazon is doing the same thing as Western companies manufacturing in (for instance) Asia. What we don't see won't hurt them (or their image) - after all, it doesn't say "Amazon" on those warehouse doors, does it? The fact that these employees (because that's what they are, employees) are on contract only speaks to the fact that Big Business will do whatever they can to put the screws to those who work for them so that they can increase profits. I should know, I've been on contract for about 12 years now. No paid vacation. No raises. No benefits. No sick days. Who, me bitter? cheers,. frank, looking for a better job -- "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." -Henri Cartier-Bresson -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
