Workers at a major distribution center in Los Angeles aren’t directly employed by the e-commerce giant. But they insist it should take responsibility for their conditions.
Davis Turner / Wikimedia Commons / Via commons.wikimedia.org
The busiest container port in the Western hemisphere is ever so slightly less busy.
Staff at a major LA warehouse serving Amazon and other big retailers went on strike Tuesday, protesting unpaid wages and overtime, dangerous conditions, a lack of breaks and water during hot summer months, and retaliation by management against their organizing efforts. The strike continued on Wednesday.
The stoppage is the latest tactic in a campaign to improve conditions at the distribution center at the Port of Los Angeles, according to Sheheryar Kaoosji, director of the Warehouse Worker Resource Center. Workers and advocates have previously filed an Unfair Labor Practice complaint, a class action lawsuit, and an Occupational Safety and Health complaint, the last of which triggered an ongoing investigation. The other cases are pending.
An Amazon spokesperson said the company had no statement on the matter.
The non-union workers at the distribution center are a classic illustration of the "Who's the Boss?" problem that is widespread in the modern labor market: They are contracted by a staffing agency, which is contracted by the warehouse operator, which is contracted by Amazon and others. The multiple layers mean each party can claim it has little leverage to determine pay and conditions.
Green Fire Productions / Flickr
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment