Amazon Hit By Worker Strikes In Europe And North America As Prime Day Commences

Global tech and e-commerce giant Amazon has been hit with worker strikes in its primary European and North American markets just as its premier two-day shopping festival ‘Prime Days’ commenced yesterday (15 July).

As per a Quartz report, thousands of workers at Amazon’s fulfilment centres are striking en-masse during the Prime Days to raise awareness about the poor working conditions and tiring quotas the employees are supposed to meet at the facilities.

The report also lists mandatory holiday shifts, limited bathroom breaks and the need for pain medications to get through the 10-hour work days as part of the conditions faced by the workers. A shocking instance of workers at an Amazon warehouse in the UK urinating in bottles in order to be able to meet their quotas has also been filmed reportedly.

The protests are set to be organised by workers in the US, Germany, UK, Spain and Poland among others. Amazon, however, has defended the working conditions in its facilities in its response to Quartz,

“Events like Prime Day have become an opportunity for our critics, including unions, to raise awareness for their cause, in this case, increased membership dues. These groups are conjuring misinformation to work in their favor, when in fact we already offer the things they purport to be their cause—industry leading pay (full-time employees at our Shakopee facility make $16.25 – $20.80), benefits, and a safe workplace for our employees. We can only conclude that the people who plan to attend the event on Monday are simply not informed. If these groups—unions and the politicians they rally to their cause—really want to help the American worker, we encourage them to focus their energy on passing legislation for an increase in the federal minimum wage, because $7.25 is too low.”

Meanwhile, as it faces protests from workers, Amazon is moving to automate more and more tasks in its facilities. Amazon has been a pioneer in ensuring two-day and one-day deliveries to its customers through its innovations, facilities which were unheard of earlier in the e-commerce industries.