Amazon workers inspired to ask firm mascot for assist with monetary hardships

Facepalm: Excellent news for Amazon warehouse employees residing in worry of being injured, fired, or changed by machines as they earn $17 per hour at an organization that generated $9.9 billion in revenue final quarter: they will write a letter to the corporate mascot, Peccy, in the event that they’re dealing with monetary hardships this vacation season within the hope “a few of their vacation needs” come true.

A brand new report from The Guardian reveals that Amazon warehouse SWF1 in Rock Tavern, New York, posted a flier studying: “Are you or somebody you understand dealing with monetary hardship this vacation season? Peccy needs to assist! Write a letter to Peccy. If the Peccy staff selects you, a few of your vacation needs might come true!”

Peccy is Amazon’s definitely-not-a-Minion-rip-off orange mascot. He additionally acts as a “cultural ambassador” for the corporate. Why is he referred to as Peccy? In line with an Amazon HR director, it is as a result of “he represents our peculiar methods. We name ourselves at Amazon very peculiar.” Staff being compelled to urinate in bottles, for instance, is sort of peculiar.

Credit score: The Guardian

Unsurprisingly, writing letters to an orange blob within the hope of having the ability to survive Christmas or spend time with family members as an alternative of working each hour of the day is not taking place properly with workers. Keith Williams, a employee on the Amazon SWF1 warehouse, was particularly important of the competitors in gentle of the corporate’s $9.9 billion in earnings and $143 billion of income over the past quarter.

“It is startling to see them shell out all this cash to advertise Amazon, get us enthusiastic about Amazon, however not really give us what would endear us to Amazon, which might be a residing wage,” he informed The Guardian.

“All we’re simply asking for from Amazon is to do what they’re clearly capable of do with the billions of {dollars} that they’ve. We simply wish to share in among the efforts that we do for Amazon,” Williams added. “We wish wages. Not trinkets.”

The common wage for an Amazon warehouse employee is $20.50 per hour, but it surely begins at $17 an hour. Vacation seasons and gross sales occasions usually see workers placing in extra time and further shifts, working six or seven days in a row. “Individuals are being pushed previous their restrict,” Williams mentioned. A report in April discovered the speed of employee accidents in Amazon warehouses throughout 2022 was 70% larger than these in related warehouses, and the speed of great accidents was twice as excessive.

Amazon warehouse employees are additionally apprehensive in regards to the prospect of their jobs being taken by robots. In October, the corporate launched two new machines: the Roomba-like Sequoia, and the humanoid Digit, a two-legged robotic that may stroll ahead, backward, and sideways, squat and bend, and transfer, grasp, and deal with objects utilizing its arm/hand-like clasps.

Amazon has defended the competitors, calling it well-intentioned whereas claiming it acquired a whole lot of optimistic suggestions from workers. Amazon additionally identified that the initiative was restricted to the New York website and never company-wide, and that it’s investing more cash towards pay will increase and further vacation pay incentives.

Amazon’s company employees aren’t having a enjoyable time proper now, both. The corporate’s strict return-to-office coverage is pushing many workers into quitting.