Workers of the e-commerce monopoly company, Amazon in India have launched a campaign against their gruelling working conditions. They have written a letter to the Global Senior Vice President and Country Head of Amazon India, Vice President of Operations of Amazon India and to Shri Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Labour and Employment, Government of India. In their letter they have highlighted the inhuman conditions in which they are forced to work, and have highlighted their demands.
Thousands of Amazon warehouse workers in India, who pick, package, load and ship materials, for wages often as low as Rs 10,000-15,000 a month, have to work standing for 10 hours a day, processing up to 240 items per hour, with only two 10-minute breaks.
The working conditions in these warehouses are not only an attack on the workers’ health and physical well-being, but also an affront to their dignity. These workers are given unrealistic daily targets, failure to meet which may lead to termination of the contract. On top of this, the volume of work makes it impossible for the workers to access toilet facilities when they require to do so. In particular, women workers face terrible problems during their menstrual periods, as they are forced to work while enduring excruciating pain and discomfort for long hours, without a break. The workers are not even permitted to talk to each other. According to the workers, their work-conditions are “almost robotic and mind-numbing”.
For example, a worker in the Amazon Outbound department is expected to put labels on 600 packages in one hour! If the target is not met, the worker is reprimanded, sometimes publicly humiliated, and forced to speed up. Otherwise, the worker could be removed from the job.
If workers suffer injuries, they are forced to continue working to meet the targets. If they fail to do so, or ask permission for medical assistance, they are threatened with immediate termination. Moreover, in the short 30-minute food break, 15 minutes are taken up for the security check at the gate, leaving the worker barely any time to eat.
Amazon warehouse workers are all hired on contract. Their contracts can be terminated abruptly, even when a worker has been working at Amazon’s warehouse for over 8 months. Amazon warehouse workers do not have fixed wages or any form of social security. They have no paid leave, maternity leave or any other work benefits.
Amazon workers are resisting this relentless exploitation. They have demanded equal pay structure of all workers in all Amazon warehouses as well as a minimum salary of Rs 25,000 and a Diwali bonus of Rs 20,000.
They have demanded an end to the contract system, regularisation of all workers who have worked for 200 days and permanent status for all workers who have worked for 240 days. They have also demanded appropriate compensation for all workers affected by duty-related accidents.
The workers have demanded that regulations be enforced to prevent harassment of women workers. They have demanded adequate breaks for rest and clean, hygienic toilet and rest room facilities, especially for the women workers.
The Amazon workers have urged the company management to set realistic, humane targets keeping in mind the physical and mental capacities of the workers. They have asked for a stop to the unilateral blocking of their job cards by the company without notice and an end to harassment of their families.
The demand of the Amazon workers, for working conditions that will alleviate this ruthless exploitation, is entirely just. It deserves the support of the entire working class.