Minnesota Amazon workers seek better workplace conditions

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 6:20 pm, Tuesday, June 5, 2018

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — A group of East African employees is asking retail giant Amazon to improve working conditions at an eastern Minnesota warehouse.

Employees at the Eagan facility made the request at a Monday news conference called by the Awood Center, which defends the rights of East African workers, Minnesota Public Radio reported .

The employees allege they have experienced exhaustion, dehydration and injuries while working without air conditioning. Workers said the conditions are particularly difficult for Muslim workers who are celebrating Ramadan and observing a strict fast.

"Recently, I couldn't work because I needed water," Nimo Hirad, an order picker at the facility, said through an interpreter. "I got so thirsty, I couldn't even swallow my saliva. I ended up breaking my fast and drinking water two days in a row."

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Minnesota-Amazon-workers-seek-better-workplace-12969765.php

[Marie Marie]

1. We have one of those Amazon mega-warehouses nearby.

A few years ago, doctors at a local hospital called OSHA because of the number of Amazon workers coming in to the emergency room with heat exhaustion and dehydration. The local paper then ran an article about the working conditions and it was not good. It turned me off to ordering anything from Amazon. This place is no better than Wal-Mart on its exploitation of its workers.

[truthisfreedom]

2. Whoever decided that fasting should include NOT drinking water was unusually cruel.

Why design a religion that punishes people who need to work in hot conditions? These rules need a humanitarian update.

[MichMan]

3. If you decide to fast (including no water) for religious reasons and get dehydrated.....

….I fail to see how this can be blamed on Amazon's working conditions. Sounds like water was readily available, but they didn't want it.

[rpannier]

5. Notice it included all workers and then PARTICULARLY FOR

...exhaustion, dehydration and injuries while working without air conditioning. Workers said the conditions are particularly difficult for Muslim...

Amazon's working conditions suck. Ask the medical professionals that reported the conditions

[Judi Lynn]

4. People outside Amazon have known about these abusive working conditions for a long time.

I've seen workers interviewed on news shows like 60 Minutes, and they all have the same horrendous unrelenting pressure wearing them down fast and hard, often in areas where there is no other large company or other work to absorb people fleeing Amazon.

It is a horrendous exploitation of people who absolutely have to keep their jobs, and it's a desperate shame.

I don't think most Democrats who have awareness of the Democratic Party's strong history of support for the labor force would dream of pretending these people are lazy, or malingering, or lying in order to get Amazon to make their jobs even easier, as we have seen implied by some, in a disgusting attack on the workers, themselves!

How could anyone be stupid, or classist enough to try to condemn these people who need help, and who deserve help.

Thanks to Marie Marie for adding bonafide confirmation from local experience, from different Amazon employees, and concerned observers.