"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...