By Patricia G. Barnes, J.D.
Amazon has come full-circle. Not only is Amazon a harsh and stingy place for low-paid hourly warehouse workers, it is also a Darwinian nightmare for white-collar workers. The New York Times recently outlined Amazon’s assault on the respect and dignity of its white-collar workers, who are encouraged to inform on each other and are pushed out if … Continue reading “Amazon’s Brutal Conditions No Surprise to Warehouse Workers”
Amazon appears to have successfully stifled protest at its American warehouses by workers concerned about their safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, Amazon fired two warehouse workers who participated in protests about Amazon’s response to the pandemic. An Amazon vice-president, Tim Bray, subsequently resigned to protest the firings. But France is another story altogether. … Continue reading “Amazon Gets A Lesson From France In Labor Relations”
The nation’s high court ruled unanimously this week that Amazon.com warehouse workers aren’t entitled to pay for the half hour they spend being screened for theft at the end of their work shifts. It’s another blow against low-wage workers by the most pro-business, anti-employee U.S. Supreme Court in recent history. The opinion, authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, held that … Continue reading “Amazon’s Xmas Gift From U.S. Supreme Court”
Old School Leadership Style For a supposed visionary, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos management style seems depressingly old school. Bezos in the past 19 years has revolutionized shopping through the internet retail giant, Amazon.com, and recently paid $250 million for one of the nation’s top newspapers, The Washington Post. However, a new book by Brad Stone, … Continue reading “Amazon, Jeff-Bots and Shadows”
A recent federal court decision offers a glimpse into the miserly working conditions of hourly workers at two national distribution centers for Amazon.com in Nevada. Two workers, Jesse Busk and Laurie Castro, filed a class action lawsuit in 2010 arguing that they should be paid for the 25 minutes it takes them to depart the Amazon distribution warehouse at … Continue reading “Amazon’s Free Lunch”