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Germany probes Amazon warehouse conditions
http://www.x404.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=18377		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  pcernie [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 12:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Germany probes Amazon warehouse conditions
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21488816

Don't mention the war! :oops: ;)
Author:  jonbwfc [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 12:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Germany probes Amazon warehouse conditions
Don't mention the taxes ;)
Author:  Amnesia10 [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 1:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Germany probes Amazon warehouse conditions
Quote:
It showed staff living quarters in cramped holiday accommodation a long way from the Amazon warehouse, which could only be reached by an unreliable bus service.

Many of the temporary workers came from Spain and Poland. Workers from outside Germany were shown as receiving the worst harassment from security guards from a private firm, Hensel European Security Services (Hess).

If these people are from outside the area provide them with decent accommodation almost on site. There are sleep pods which are not that expensive and each employee had one for the duration they could be accommodated close to work and that gives the employee some private area of their own.

As for the security these should be responsible to Amazon directly, so none of this "it was not us" crap.
Author:  big_D [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 6:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Germany probes Amazon warehouse conditions
The problem seems to be that they used an employment agency. Amazon offered the standard minimum wage and the agency promised the workers said wage, before they were flown to Germany.

Once there, they were faced with the contract for less money or pay for their own flight back home, if they didn't sign.

This follows up from the conditions in the American warehouses reported last year, where it was too hot and overly long shifts.

Here, it looks like they used an external agency to reduce costs (fewer HR personnel needed, if you are sub-contracting and the other company takes care of all the pension, national insurance and tax stuff for you) and the external agency, under pressure to ensure the workers weren't stealing were very heavy handed. It will be interesting to see how much of it is down to Amazon and how much they knew.

Over here there has already been a huge public reaction with thousands boycotting Amazon as a result of the documentary.

I haven't seen the documentary, just the follow up reports in the news.

That said, everybody looks to Amazon, because they are cheaper than most other places, yet they are outraged, when they find out that the company has to result to near slave labour in order to achieve those cheap prices...
Author:  Amnesia10 [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 6:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Germany probes Amazon warehouse conditions
Amazon should be ashamed but considering that this is an american company, and like most they treat their staff as disposable commodities. Hopefully the German government will fine Amazon so much that they no longer try offshoring their staffing.
Author:  big_D [ Sun Feb 17, 2013 6:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Germany probes Amazon warehouse conditions
It is rife all over the EU.

When we get support calls from some customers, their employees can't speak a word of German!
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