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Now We Know Why Things Are So Cheap At Amazon

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mikey4444 | 08:16 Mon 25th Nov 2013 | News
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25034598

This is why I won't shop at Amazon. Its little better than slave labour. No unions as well, so nothing to stop Amazon getting away with this. Watch Panorama tonight.
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@ummm well we shall see, shan't we? Labour laws should indeed protect us, but such laws surrounding pay and working conditions have been eroded somewhat over recent years, it seems to me. Take the minimum wage, for instance - we know that, by law,all employees are entitled to at least the minimum wage for their labour - but there has been much evidence to...
10:19 Mon 25th Nov 2013
Oooo ta, you've just reminded me, it's Black Friday all week on Amazon- yay!

They have a choice to work there don't they? Sounds to me like it's what's termed in the industry as "working". I've done the same job (for Studio Catalogues) in the past and it's tough work, but you go into it knowing exactly what's in store for you, and you either like it or lump it.
I have noticed that as time goes by management simply expect more & more from employees whilst pay les & less in real terms. Such revelations don't surprise me. I would suspect it isn't uncommon. Especially where there is no strong union.
Unfortunately you will find much of what we buy in the "west" is made in poor conditions.

Clothes and trainers and other clothing products made in sweat shops in Pakistan, Thailand and so on, for low wages, often by children, and often in unsafe buildings.

Huge pressure put on farmers who grow food to grow it of a certain size and shape, to throw away anything that does not met the supermarkets high standards, and to be asked to reduce their prices year after year.

Technology products made on production lines in China and other places where people work hour after hour on the same production line.

I am afraid if we got that choosy about what we bought we would hardly buy anything.
You either like it or stay on welfare because it's unacceptable expectations.
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Perhaps you should watch Panorama tonight. This place is in my home town. I have some friends that have worked there, mainly because they have not much other choice. The Sunday Times exposed them recently as well.
I might watch it, possibly, but unless it's goes into more detail than that article, i fail to see what's so bad about it. Unfortunately, not all jobs involve sitting at a desk sipping coffees all day.

It's a hard grafting job, anyone who goes into it thinking it's going to be a cushy number is in for a massive shock.
A lot of jobs have the potential of causing "mental and physical illness". The people working on Aldi tills have strict targets to meet. I can’t see that this is any different.
What about the people who work outside every working day of the year? I would say that was more depressing than picking and packing.
For those who say a jobs a job, conditions like this are OK then?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfw0KapQ3qw
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The attitude that "they don't have to work there do they" seems to me to be a charter for an employer to impose any conditions it likes.

A friend who I worked with on the Census in 2011 had worked in Amazon the previous winter. The stories he told me made me promise never to buy anything from them again. For instance, he was given his hours and days of working a week in advance but they would change these arrangements at the very last minute. He turned up for work one morning at 05.00 but found his card wouldn't open the car park barrier. He then pulled over and called his manager, when he was told "Oh, we don't need you today"

How can anyone be expected to plan their time if the company acts in such a cavalier fashion ? He was also followed to the toilet and taken to task if he spent more than a couple on minutes there, and was questioned if he needed to pee more than once every two hours !

I have worked in a similar place, A warehouse owned my Marks & Spencers, I was run off my feet for 8 hours a day, it is really hard going but we all survived. I will watch the program tonight if I remember but to be honest I think there are thousands of warehouses all over the country that are being run in a similar fashion.
I feel tainted by association and annoyed that I am supporting exploitation. What happened to treating your workers fairly and humanely?
Not just Amazon - it's a malaise that has grown in the UK during my lifetime. I grew up with an expectation of being treated with respect including not being having unreasonable demands made of me. It now seems to be increasingly normal that tinpot dictator Alan-Sugar-alikes squeeze as much as they can out of overworked and stressed-out people. Not good.
Mikey, If that's true, it surely ought to be featured in tonight's Panorama.
Mikey, much of what you describe sounds like work in a busy care home where we deal with lives rather than products. It is wrong but it happens all over the country.
I worked at a cheque processing company. We had to account for every minute.
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naomi...I have no idea what will be in the program, but the toilet thing has appeared in many previous reports from Amazon.

As regards the comments about other industries....well, maybe they should be exposed as well. How does Primark, for instance, sell clothes so cheaply ? Not just by exploiting children in the third world. How can you buy a pair of jeans in Tesco for £3.99 ? If we are prepared to be content to pay such cheap prices, then companies like Amazon will always be ready to exploit their workers. That is why I have taken the stand not to shop with them any more.

Far be it for me to use a Daily Mail report, but see this ::

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2382800/Tagged-bosses-zero-hour-Amazon-workers-Employees-guaranteed-income.html

They are in trouble in America as well it would seem ::

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/amazon/

And in Germany ::

http://www.mhpbooks.com/german-amazon-workers-strike-again-2/
I can see you're up in arms about it mikey, and it's obviously your choice to be so, but personally no, it hasn't changed my mind about Amazon (or the like) and how they operate.

My purse dictates exactly where I can and can't shop and if Amazon is the cheapest for a product, i'll still buy from them.
I have no intention of not buying from Amazon
if I and my family benefit then thats all i'm interested in

stop the world mikey wants to get off
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boo and baz ..very publically spirited !

" I've made my mind up now don't confuse me with the facts "
I'm not confused about the facts at all, I already knew them. As I've said i've worked in a similar work environment myself.

I thought i'd quite clearly stated that I don't care enough about them, so will continue to shop at Amazon if the price is right.

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