India: Warehouse workers faced harsh conditions and intense work targets during extreme heat around Amazon Prime Day
Riepilogo
Date Reported: 13 Ago 2024
Location: India
Companies
Amazon.com - EmployerAffected
Total individuals affected: 700
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - India , Retail , Women , Documented migrants )Issues
Heat exposure , Occupational Health & Safety , Illness , Excessive production targets , Reasonable Working Hours & Leisure Time , Access to Water , Surveillance , IntimidationResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Resource Centre
Story containing response: (Find out more)
Action taken: Amazon responded to the Resource Centre's request for comment.
Source type: News outlet
"The heat is on: Climate change threatens garment workers as Amazon Prime Day launches”, July 16, 2024
...Amidst a severe heatwave in New Delhi, where temperatures soared to 50°C (122°F), thousands of workers in Amazon warehouses across India demanded better working conditions...
“We work on incentives, and we have always believed that if we work hard, we will be rewarded. But the company offers no protections or respite, even in extreme conditions,” says Nishu, adding that, “usually, we can’t sit or even drink too much water to limit bathroom usage. The company has a 5% idle time policy for 10 hours. If we sit, our managers take a video of us to send to superiors who block us from working the next day and we lose another day’s essential wages.”
...The grueling labor is intensified by excessive monitoring and nearly impossible productivity targets that only increase around events like Amazon Prime Day, allowing minimal rest or break time. Amazon’s strict policies, including limited bathroom breaks and punitive measures for idle time, disproportionately affect female workers, increasing risks of reproductive and urinary tract issues, potential disruptions in menstruation, and increased heat cramps...