Amazon lets "workers urinate in water bottles" - and has to admit "own goal" after denial

The online giant Amazon is repeatedly criticized.

The tweet from a US politician has now triggered an embarrassing PR debacle.

Seattle - "Jeff Bezos, the richest person in the world, is in many ways a symbol of the unrestrained capitalism we see in America today." These are the words that the progressive Democrat and Senator of Vermont Bernie Sanders fired at CNN against Bezos.

It had previously become known that Sanders had invited the Amazon founder to testify before the Senate budget committee.

As a motivation, he said, “To explain to the American people why it is appropriate for them to spend a fair amount of money to deny economic dignity to unionized Amazon workers in Bessemer while in the The pandemic has become $ 78 billion richer. ”Bezos turned down the“ invitation ”.

Amazon has gone from a book retailing nightmare to a global retail giant.

Bezos, who announced in February that he was stepping down from his role as CEO, made it the richest man in the world.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a list of the wealthiest people in the world, he is worth $ 184 billion.

Despite this wealth, Bezos online mail order business is repeatedly criticized for its working conditions.

The latest scandal was kicked off by US Democrat Marc Pocan, House of Representatives for the state of Wisconsin.

Online mail order company Amazon is criticized: "Let workers urinate in water bottles"

"Paying workers $ 15 an hour doesn't make them a 'progressive workplace' if you prevent unions and let workers urinate in water bottles," Pocan responded to a tweet from Amazon retail manager Dave Clark.

Clark had previously stated that the company offered a "progressive workplace".

Amazon responded quickly to Pocan's accusation on its Twitter account “Amazon News” - and firmly rejected it.

The online mail order company tweeted whether Pocan really believed that employees had to pee in bottles.

If so, no one would work for Amazon, was the thesis.

Rather, you have millions of employees worldwide who are proud of their work and have great salaries and health insurance from day one.

Pocan and other Twitter users argued against it.

Including people who said they work for Amazon.

One week later.

In an official letter, Amazon described the tweet as an "own goal" - and apologized to the US Democrat.

Your information was wrong and only related to employees in logistics centers and warehouses, but not to the Amazon drivers.

It is known that due to their route and traffic, they sometimes have problems finding a toilet - made worse by the corona pandemic.

In addition, it is a widespread phenomenon throughout the industry and is not Amazon-specific.

However, solutions are being worked on.

The Democrat Pocan said: "* Sigh * This is not about me, but about your workers - whom you do not treat with sufficient dignity and respect." And added: "Start by recognizing the inadequate working conditions that you are responsible for ALL of your employees created and then fix them for everyone and finally, let them unionize undisturbed. "

Historic vote on first union representation at Amazon - protests in Germany too

After months of efforts to establish a union representation, the US state of Alabama voted on the first US union on Amazon.

A successful vote for union representation would be a turning point for online retailers.

Amazon firmly rejects such ambitions.

"I'm proud of the workers at Amazon who stand up and say, '

Enough,

'" said

local RWDSU retail union chairman Joshua Brewer

, according to

Agence France-Press

.

RWDSU would represent the employees in the future, should they opt for a union organization.

The plan sparked nationwide discussions about the working conditions of Amazon employees.

Union representative Brewer said the "systematic problems" at Amazon were now openly exposed.

If the historic vote is crowned with success, the decision of a union representation could spread like wildfire in the numerous locations in the USA.

US President Joe Biden is also a supporter of trade unions.

But Amazon is also criticized for its dealings with employees in Germany.

In protest against their working conditions, 2000 employees stopped working before Easter.

The Verdi union had called for it.

The employee representatives demand a collective agreement for the retail and mail order business as well as the conclusion of a collective agreement for good and healthy work.

Verdi criticized that Amazon was earning a "golden nose" due to the corona pandemic - and the associated closings of the retail trade - but its employees: inside, however, worked under "constant hustle and bustle and performance monitoring".

A recent inspection of Amazon parcel delivery companies in Cologne revealed deficiencies in labor law.

The

Kölner Stadtanzeiger

reported on this, among others

.

Police and customs interviewed 50 Amazon employees - in 24 cases indications of violations such as falling below the minimum wage and working without social security were noticed.

(aka with material from AFP)

List of rubric lists: © Tobias Seeliger