OVER THE WEEKEND, workers at MSP1—an Amazon fulfillment center in Shakopee, Minnesota—
walked off the job just after midnight to protest the upcoming end of Amazon’s unlimited unpaid time off (UPT) policy and the
firing of a worker who had stayed home with her children. The UPT benefit, which was
implemented in early March in response to Covid-19, and which allows workers to stay home without pay if they feel sick, is
set to expire at the end of April.
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“I live with a [child], my girlfriend, and my mom and dad. Let’s say Amazon lets someone in [to work] because he has no hours left of UPT. I’m going to go in and contract the virus. Say I’m asymptomatic and I infect my whole house, and nearly kill half my damn family. Just because Bezos cares more about his fecking money than his employees.”
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Amazon workers can be subject to disciplinary measures and
even firing if they fail to keep up with the hectic pace of work—known as “rate”—and the first survey question asks how trying to keep up with rate affects workers’ health. In response, 317 of the 373 respondents say keeping up with rate impacts their ability to wash their hands and otherwise sanitize their workstations.
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As for what personal protective equipment (PPE) is being provided by the company, answers vary widely. While the San Bernardino worker (who participated in the survey) told me that face masks are being provided, and social distancing measures and temperature checks have been implemented at their warehouse, one respondent based at DTW1—a warehouse in Romulus, Michigan—states that as recently as April 15th, no PPE of any kind was being provided. Fifty-one of the survey’s respondents report only being given face masks—meaning they have not been provided with hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, disposable gloves, goggles, face shields, or physical barrier between workstations. A second San Bernardino ONT2 worker I spoke with yesterday says they are still not providing gloves in the facility, even though the company informed him and his coworkers of two more positive Covid-19 cases in their warehouse on Sunday.
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“I cough a lot in [the warehouse]; it’s not a dry cough, but I haven’t had a chance to go to a doctor because I haven’t used a lot of UPT, because I need the money,” says the second ONT2 worker in San Bernardino. “I’m risking my life, and I have diabetes.”
“They make millions upon billions and always let us know how much we’re appreciated,” adds the first worker. “Well, show us that appreciation. Tell your fecking customers to feck off for once and protect the labor force that makes your fecking money.”