Staff at a UK Amazon distribution centre suffer deplorable working conditions. This is according to undercover investigation by UK newspaper Daily Mirror.
Journalist Alan Selby went undercover for five weeks at the distribution centre in Tilbury, UK. There, he saw first-hand how staff are treated "like cattle". Although Selby is a marathon runner, the shifts were physically tough for him. "The only time I didn't stand was during my breaks. My body ached, I felt dizzy and was afraid I would fall over." Staff who dared to rest got a snarl from managers, according to Selby.
'Employees fall asleep standing up'
Staff are reportedly required to work 55-hour weeks around the holidays, at a wage of £8.20 an hour (€9.16), which is below the minimum wage. The targets would also be inhumanly high. Packing staff have to prepare 120 products per hour for shipment. If you don't make it, you are fired. Some staff fell asleep standing up and some had to be treated by ambulance staff. "The staff are paid wages below the average cost of living. One of them asked: 'Why is it not allowed to sit for a while when it is not busy? We are human beings, not slaves or robots'," Selby said.
Amazon: 'we offer a safe and positive workplace'
Amazon does not appear to recognise itself in Selby's accusations. The e-commerce giant claims to "provide a safe and positive workplace". "We are proud of the fact that we have created thousands of jobs in recent years. We base the targets on previous results from our staff."
Strike during Black Friday
The US online shopping giant is under fire more often when it comes to staff. Last Friday, on Black Friday, employees in Germany laid down work to force higher wages and better working conditions. Earlier years, staff in Germany also went on strike around the holidays. In Italy, Amazon employees went on strike out of dissatisfaction with bonuses.
