Vickie Shannon Allen, 49, started working at Amazon as a counter in a fulfillment warehouse at Haslet, Texas in May 2017. At first, like many employees, Allen was excited by the idea of working for one of the fastest growing corporations in the world. That feeling dissipated quickly after a few months.
“I noticed managers would ask you questions all the time about any bathroom breaks, performance, and productivity. What they do is code your time, and they are allowed to change it at will. To me, that’s how they get rid of people,” Allen said.
Amazon is now the world’s most valuable retailer. It’s customers are served by over 140 fulfillment centers like the one where Allen worked across the US. The revenues from these centers have made founder Jeff Bezos the world’s richest man – Bezos’ net worth recently crossed the $150bn, making him the wealthiest person in history, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
In the meantime Allen has become homeless after a workplace accident left her unable to do her job.
Nor is Allen alone. A Guardian investigation has revealed numerous cases of Amazon workers suffering from workplace accidents or injuries in its gigantic warehouse system and being treated in ways that leave them homeless, unable to work or bereft of income.
Allen’s story began on 24 October last year when she injured her back counting goods on a workstation that was missing a brush guard, a piece of safety equipment meant to prevent products from falling onto the floor. She used a tote bin to try to compensate for the missing brush guard, and hurt her back while counting in an awkward position. The injury was the beginning of an ongoing ordeal she is still working to amend at Amazon. Over the course of a few weeks, Amazon’s medical triage area gave her use of a heating pad to use on her back, while Amazon management sent her home each day without pay until Allen pushed for workers compensation.
“I tried to work again, but I couldn’t stretch my right arm out and I’m right handed. So I was having a hard time keeping up. This went on for about three weeks,” Allen said. Despite not getting paid, Allen was spending her own money to drive 60 miles one way to the warehouse each day just to be sent home.
Remind me again how Bezos is supposed to be a friend of the working man?
I don’t use Amazon and I will not order anything from them. There’s plenty of stores around who have what I need, I get it the minute I pay for it.
Jeff Bozos laughing all the way to the bank.BWWWHAHAHAHAHHA
If Bezos weren’t a liberal the media would be all over this.
BooHoo
Such a sob story. Capitalism is such an oppressive system. Where are all the civil rights lawyers on this one.
Not a fan of Bezos. Also not a fan of fake news purveyors like the Guardian.
I don’t know what is true in this story but it seems very one sided in favor of the alleged victim and seems to impugn a guy who is tremendously successful. Liberal formula executed to perfection.
But if the woman or any other were truly wronged, then I want justice. But the story so perfectly fits the liberal narrative that I am skeptical.
Two facts:
1) successful businesses don’t become so by burning through employees. Happy coexistence creates longtime and faithful employees, otherwise the employee leaves, obstructs, steals, circulates the message of hellish existence preventing others from applying.
2) there is such a thing as whiners, complainers, shirkers, deadbeats, malcontents and generally disagreeable people. It’s not necessary to fire them. It’s difficult to fire people. Paperwork and process. Ugh. Putting up obstructions and increasing the employee’s discomfort so that they are motivated to leave on their own accord is the easiest path
There have been stories like these for quite a few years now. There is a class action lawsuit. If this stuff about the worker’s comp is true, we’re talking tons of dollars in fines.
If you are a minimal skill worker, employed by an enormous corporation that has not yet figured out how to automate your tasks, you have my sympathy.
This means you are not smart enough to know how to protect yourself, turn the lowest level of management (all that you will ever encounter) on their ears, suffocate and mire them in their own policies and procedures.
Expect to be a victim. I don’t think this situation has changed since the industrial revolution first took hold.
Anybody want to tell me I’m wrong?
It is pretty well known Amazon is not a pleasant company to work for. I do understand the need for a job, so take it, if you have to.
What? No OSHA? No Workman’s Comp? No Unemployment Insurance? Something’s fishy in the state of Denmark.
I happen to have a part time job at the Division of Workers’ Compensation in Vermont. Why isn’t her local Dept. of Workers’ Compensation getting involved? This is a clear violation of the law and the whole reason Workers’ Comp. was created. All she has to do is get Amazon to fill out a Form 1, or if they won’t, she can fill out a Form 5 and send it in herself to get the process going. She could also get an attorney. There are plenty of attorneys who specialize in workers’ comp. issues.
What union is helping you?