The results of the Amazon warehouse petition

[asakiyume]

Sometime ago I started a petition asking Amazon to reform its warehouse conditions. It was a very limited petition, but having those signatures behind me gave force to my letter to the investor relations department. (I'm not an investor in Amazon, but IR people are very sensitive to the company's image, and they report to the board, so they were my contact point with the board.)

The letter they sent back basically asserts that their current practices are fine--better than many. Of course, better than many doesn't necessarily make them good. It may just mean that conditions widespread are pretty appalling. But if that's true, then the struggle needs to be a broader one, and the company isn't any more culpable than many others.

That's if what they claim is true. I'd like to see what a neutral party, like OSHA, had to say. But that's more serious activism; that takes time and research, and then considered advocacy, thinking of the whole thing in the context of jobs, national standards, etc. More effort than simply starting a petition.

I don't think the effort was a waste of time, though. It got their attention and compelled them to write a response. We showed this is something some portion of the public cares about and will be watching and judging Amazon on. That fact will be transmitted to the board and to management, and that should--I hope--make the company less likely to move in a more-abusive direction and more likely to move in a positive one.

On the other hand, Amazon's currently trying to bring Hachette to its knees so . . . yeah.

Comments

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

I wonder whether and how they lobby on changes to workplace safety regulation?

We have beaten back plenty of good regulation and good law over the past thirty-three years or so by means of personal anecdotes-- "This was an inconvenient regulation and no way would I have been unsafe! I'm a PRO!"-- and conjectural anecdotes-- "Well, hey, if this instance occurred that regulation/law would have perverse/undesirable consequences!" So I don't reckon much on the "inadequate anecdotes" thing.

And I am a veteran of "*sneer* Your statistics just aren't moving" and "*sneer* There, there, that's just anecdotal."

Of course we need worldwide efforts to improve working environments by requiring firms to behave as if their employees were precious resources, if not as if their employees were fellow-humans. But that's no reason not to work on improving the behaviour of industry bellwethers.

Grrrrrrrrrrr.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Yeah… sometimes you throw a pebble at a giant and all it does is go "ping" on the giant's armor, and that's sort of how I feel. Or rather, I wasn't even trying to throw pebbles, but just to say, "This is bad; do better," and really all they said in return was "Nah, it's not bad. Now you run along." So that's disheartening. But I *do* think it has to have made *some* impression, even if it was an extremely small and transient one. But this just reinforces in my mind that to make real changes requires a lot of commitment.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

Drops in the reservoir from which justice will roll forth like a river. :)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Inshallah….

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I think it's going to require a similar juggernaut to shake Amazon. But I am still glad you followed through.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Yeah. You do, as they say, have to pick your battles. There is so much worth battling, out there -_-

[stormdog.livejournal.com]

This is the kind of thing that, if enough people do it, can make real positive change. Thanks.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I hope so.

By the way, I was thinking of you when I read this article about Subcomandante Marcos. (http://upsidedownworld.org/main/news-briefs-archives-68/4867-subcomandante-marcos-is-no-more)

[stormdog.livejournal.com]

Oh wow; fascinating. Thanks! I'll have to read through that and see if the professor who led the trip is aware of it.

By the way, did you see my post with the paper I wrote on the trip and some follow up emails with said professor? I know you were interested in what my experience was like.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I did not! I've been haphazard in following my friends list--can you link me?

[stormdog.livejournal.com]

Sure!

http://stormdog.livejournal.com/855517.html

I didn't want to pester you with direct messages or anything ("Hey, did you see the nifty stuff I wrote? *grins*), but I wanted to make sure you got a chance to see it if you hadn't.

I'm still planning to write a second part more focused on the day-to-day trip.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I'm *very* glad you did--I definitely did want to see it.

[duccio.livejournal.com]

I don't recall you doing an AMZN petition, or having acted on one myself. If you start more petitions I'd be pleased to hear about them so I can sign. Someday, "I know our side will win".

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

No side ever wins permanently because things are always changing--including the sides--but sometimes things do get better for ordinary people. I don't do much, but I guess every little bit helps. I hope, anyway. Thinking about the preacher in Grapes of Wrath. Not that I'm as active as he was, but his outlook…..

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

Amazon is definitely one of the worst examples of corporate policy, lack of concern for their employees, and determination to hurt others in the name of the bottom line.

How they get away with all of this while other large corporations are carefully monitored is beyond me.

Thank you for being there to make a difference. Every voice heard is a voice standing against them.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I don't even *know* if they're worst--maybe? I mean, a lot of these huge corporations are awful because they *can* be. After workers collapsed from heat in Amazon warehouses in Pennsylvania, proper air conditioning units were installed…. so that's something. But they should have been in there in the first place; people shouldn't have had to suffer collapse in order for it to happen.

Don't thank me; I do hardly anything. I feel like a fraud if I get thanks :-\ (Not meaning to scold--I appreciate the support…. Just feel unworthy is all.)

[thecoughlin.livejournal.com]

It's been about 10 years since I worked in one of the Amazon warehouses in PA but I can tell younat the timenthe conditions weren't bad and safetynwas a high priority. I had more of an issue with everyone starting as a temp than unsafe practices, but things may have gone downhill since.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I'm really glad you came by and commented!

The letter from Amazon got me thinking: I'd been moved to act based on news stories I'd seen, but I read them completely uncritically, and various feedback I've gotten (not just from Amazon, but from other people online on Facebook etc.) makes me think that the situation isn't as stark as the news stories made it seem.

I'm really glad your own experience wasn't so bad. Maybe the case of the warehouse in Pennsylvania without the air conditioning was an aberration--or maybe things went downhill for a while after your stint there, but now things are better again. In any case, thanks for dropping by!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Oh hey, I just checked out your page and you live very near me (well, relatively speaking. A few towns away!)

[thecoughlin.livejournal.com]

Actually - turns out it was a facility I didn't work at and heard that it WAS worse than the two I was at - Chambersburg (now closed) and Carlisle.

Allentown opened after I left, but one of the managers I worked with had complained that the work environment was tougher than what we had in south Central PA.

I'm a little surprised it got that out of control because managers were docked bonuses for accidents - and they were 100% scrupulous about reporting AT THE TIME. I'll hit up a couple people on FB to verify for you.

[thecoughlin.livejournal.com]

Very close - in the other half of Bear's house....

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Yep!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

It could be that the managers were being run ragged too; who knows. That's the thing; everyone is at the mercy of someone higher up and their requirements.