Sorry about this semi-rant post and also not knowing how to start. English is not my thing.
I am a current employee of an Amazon Warehouse who has worked in two different warehouses and is in the process of getting the workplace unionized. I see that some sentiments are urging more Amazon workers to unionize. I am here to inform you of all of the problems we warehouse workers experience with no particular order of importance. I'll list them properly if I feel like it.
- Location: Each warehouse facility's working condition, operation management, and other things vary from facility to facility; For example, one warehouse is in charge of storing and (maybe) shipping large products (i.e., a box dimension of 12x15x30) while another facility located 20 miles away is in control of storing and shipping small products (i.e., 18 in or below in any length). Creating one of two situations; some warehouses may be very indifferent or somewhat anti-union, with other warehouses being pro-union or a bit interested in unions.
- Knowledge: Not many people know how the union works, how unionizing works, the laws for unionizing, and the steps towards it. Most people think that a union company can just come in and start the unionizing process, which makes them sit and wait for union companies to do something. If you want Amazon workers to unionize, inform/educate them about the steps of unionizing.
- Exhaustion: This is not a surprise to any of you in this subreddit, but I want to clarify what kind of exhaustion most, if not all, Amazon Warehouse employees experience. And I'll break it down into two parts, which are physical and mental.
- Most Amazon warehouse employees work 10 hours a day, four days a week. But that is hardly the case since a third or more of the year is pre-determined as mandatory overtime. The overtime hours are 11 hours a day or more, five days a week, depending on where you work. There is also a rate or “attack time” you are required to meet, that being stowing/storing an item onto a pod/shelve every 9 seconds or faster. There are other more egregious things to be listed and explained but think of this as one of the least labor-intensive roles.
- Now onto the mental aspect, given that Amazon workers have to work at least 10 hours a day, at least four days a week. Amazon does not leave you no time to relieve some stress for the day unless your “weekend” is coming up. Adding that Amazon expects you to be at peak efficiency at all times, the three-day rest day no longer feels like three days but two days instead. I am not sure if my coworkers also feel the same way, but that's how I view it. This part of the description may not be accurate since this is my own experience, but that should give you some idea of what's going on mentally (hopefully).
- Workplace: Amazon built most, if not all, of their warehouses to be anti-union and anti-organizing. It is extremely difficult to talk to another coworker unless you are in the break rooms or your workstation is back to back with another coworker. Cameras are located everywhere except for the bathrooms, most breakrooms, and areas with minimal or no foot traffic. Managers would monitor the breakrooms from time to time. Uneven distribution of workload causes distrust among coworkers. Etc.
There is still more to list, but I think I am done for today. If you want to push Amazon workers to unionize, don't just tell them to do it but help them unionize. Many Amazon warehouse workers do want to unionize, but they don't know how and where to start. Help them out where they need help, and let us bring down this terrible system together. Just make sure when you begin the process of unionizing, do not let Amazon catch wind of your movement. Otherwise, they'll quickly shut down your union movement by firing people related to your coalition. That's all.