Workers on strike, deliverymen forced to pee on the bottles, and endless expansion.
The platform for online shopping has been facing criticism. Now more than ever. Here’s what’s been going on.
The conditions of workers
The bottom line is: employees of Amazon aren’t happy.
In Italy
For the first time ever, Italian workers went on strike. In March 2021, 30,000 to 40,000 employees refused to work. They asked for better conditions and more respect. The strike involved staff at Amazon’s hubs in Italy and delivery drivers. The latter have to deliver at least 180 packages daily, an unrealistic goal.
Indeed, over 70% of workers joined the strike. Perhaps setting a tone for other employee worldwide. Still, there are no recent developments nor commitments from the e-commerce giant. But soon enough the conditions might change.
In the United States
Turns out, delivery drivers pee in bottles. At the end, Amazon had to admit it. The debate started all the way in 2018, but it was more of a whisper. Until it had a sudden and recent revival. More and moe journalists began reporting on workers relieving themselves in bottles because they didn’t have the time to find a restroom. They couldn’t stop.
Finally, Amazon admitted to it. On a post, the company wrote: “we know that drivers can and do have trouble finding restrooms because of traffic or sometimes rural routes, and this has been especially the case during Covid when many public restrooms have been closed. This is a long-standing, industry-wide issue and is not specific to Amazon. We’ve included just a few links below that discuss the issue.”
Indeed, it’s not an apology to the workers. But it might be a step forward.
In the United Kingdom
The first Amazon Fresh store has opened outside of the US. It launched in the suburb of Ealing, just outside of London. It’s the “Just Walk Out” cashierless technology, innovative and secure. Especially during Covid-19. The concept of this place is a convenience grocery store. The market also serves hot food, to go meals, and newspapers. Not to mention fresh flowers and Amazon devices.
Customers simply walk in, surrounded by overhead cameras. Plus there are sensors and technology that detects shoppers and their movements. Also, it detects when people grab or put back items, shopping through the shelves of the Fresh store. Customers use a QR code too, accessible through the platform’s app.
When people are done shopping, they just exit. And the technology charges the Amazon account. The receipt is also available on the app. So, this concept is both eco-friendly and fast.
In India
While workers go on strike in Italy and a union vote is happening in Alabama, Amazon is expanding in India. As the Nasdaq reports, the e-commerce giant “acquired Perpule, a Bangalore-based retail tech start-up.” This move could facilitate online payments, crucial to the platform’s success.
Indeed, Amazon’s expansion is ongoing, branching out to countries that might not care about union and workers’ conditions.
We’ll follow the latest developments on the Alabama vote. Will workers finally get representation?
Who knows? Perhaps the Navier will soon be available on Amazon. What’s Navier? Find out here!