"Democrats ask Labor Department to investigate Amazon warehouses", 16 July 2019 

A dozen Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the Department of Labor... asking the agency to investigate Amazon for potential workplace abuse as employees at a Minnesota center protested what they called unfair and unsafe conditions. 

The letter... calls on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to look into conditions at all Amazon warehouses.

Amazon, in a blog post, denied the allegations of unsafe conditions and renewed an open invitation for lawmakers to tour facilities... 

"Hundreds of stories shared with our offices paint a picture of desperation and a corporate employer with little regard for the health of its employees," the letter reads. One worker described the warehouse as a "21st century sweatshop," and other workers said there is no air conditioning in facilities...

Some Amazon employees said they feared retaliation for bathroom breaks and would limit the amount of liquids they consumed, and one said they took medication to not have to use the restroom, according to the letter...

Amazon defended itself against the allegations outlined in the letter, saying the claims are not an accurate portrayal of its buildings...