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Post by daytona600 on Aug 22, 2015 9:07:19 GMT
www.change.org/p/amazonuk-deliver-the-living-wageIf they can afford Jeremy Clarkson for Top Gear, they can afford to pay their workers a Living Wage. Why do we want Amazon to pay the Living Wage? Amazon has more than enough money to pay its workers (both permanent employees and contracted agency workers) the Living Wage. This is the wage needed to support a basic standard of living. With UK sales in 2012 of £4.2billion, you'd think Amazon could afford to pay its workers enough to be able to feed and clothe themselves and their families. And unacceptably low pay isn't all Amazon does to demean its workers: A sack-if-you're-sick policy that sees you turfed out if you take 3 sick breaks in a 3 month period Giving workers 15 minute breaks that start wherever they are in the giant warehouses 10 hour days Compulsory overtime Monitoring and timing toilet breaks Half-a-point if you're 1 minute late or more (3 points and you're out) Paying the minimum wage or just above it, when it could well afford to pay the Living Wage A 'performance console' that tracks and logs workers' activities so they can be released if their 'pick rate' is too slow I don't know about you, but I find it pretty disgusting. It's time for Amazon to listen up and listen hard. It can't ignore us forever. Paying the Living Wage will be a big step in the right direction. Do what's best for your workers (permanent and agency), Amazon: become an accredited Living Wage employer across your UK operations. God knows, you could do with a good news story.
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Post by Chris on Aug 22, 2015 16:03:19 GMT
This "living wage" thing makes me laugh. To pay a "living wage" they should be coming up with about £25ph. Only then do things like emmm....houses become affordable. It's not just Amazon - I think business in this country gets away with murder in relation to how they treat staff. It's been terrible for years and seriously needs improving. Despicable practices.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2015 17:07:24 GMT
Having watched the spy programme a while back(was it panorama?) I can only conclude that any pick rates are likely totally inequitable. Depends what you are picking basically. I used to be a work study engineer in distribution so have a vast experience. Also companies used to pay bonus to achieve pick rates - so carrot and stick approach. That also takes care of excessive breaks by incentivising people not punishing them. If they didn't have immigrants to fall back on they would never get enough staff to work under these conditions.
Another reason I shall be voting to leave EU in the referendum. Better off on benefits IMO if the way Amazon is portrayed is accurate. There may however be other reasons why some people stay with the company such as promotion.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2015 17:25:15 GMT
A good example of why we need Jeremy Corbyn! Virtually everything Thatcher did needs reversing and unions strengthening once more so that these sort of practices can be stopped altogether. I would welcome a Corbyn government making these pernicious working practices illegal and also banning ZHC's etc. People before profit. Always.
Oh and obviously I'll be voting to stay IN the EU!
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Post by Chris on Aug 22, 2015 21:23:55 GMT
No politics please. I'm tempted to bite here.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 22, 2015 22:46:26 GMT
Yes, I'm tempted to retort but won't. We have a no politics and no religion rule on TAS for good reason: it always ends badly.
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Post by Slinger on Aug 23, 2015 1:05:51 GMT
I got the same email, and signed the petition without hesitation. I get a lot of requests from change.org and by no means sign up just because " somebody sent me an email." This one - worthwhile on my opinion! Oh, and despite there being a "no politics" clause here I should probably stand up and be counted as an affiliate member of the Labour party, and a trade unionist for all of my working life. I will not, however, discuss my leanings in public.  |
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Post by MartinT on Aug 23, 2015 9:25:22 GMT
That's fine, Slinger, and there is precedent (DQ being a Marxist, for instance). We just want to avoid mud slinging at all costs.
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Post by MikeMusic on Aug 23, 2015 16:04:58 GMT
I've been an employee, a company owner and now back to being an employee.
There's good and bad in both with a huge amount of variations in between.
I feel sorry for any when they are turned over by the other, thinking small employers more than Amazon.
Should be a fair deal for both sides or the ability to move on
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2015 16:27:38 GMT
I work for an horrible High street retailer that i am just so desperate to leave. Ive only been there just over a year. I can't get the hours, the pay is minimum rate & we get treated like crap if it were not for the Missus getting a good job now we would be in trouble money wise. However This has caused problems because she earns good wages & get good hours, it makes me feel inadequate as an husband & provider, i even feel rotten when i buy myself something, most of all im feeling very insecure. Ive always looked after her money wise, shes wanted for nothing..
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Post by John on Aug 23, 2015 16:40:59 GMT
I work in a industry that pays low wages and demands a lot. I see many people struggle and yet give so much because they want to help and make a difference to other people. Most of the staff are on minimum wage working in London under these conditions is very difficult I do not see it changing for a long time.
Andre I hope you can find a better job
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2015 20:05:28 GMT
Do you get the impression that minimum wage has become an excuse for keeping pay low rather than the market deciding? If you take out the migrants who appear to be prepared to work for F all market forces would dictate a minimum of £10 per hour. At least these idiot employers should be able to see that better pay increases productivity. Of course better productivity will mean higher unemployment in the short run. At least the govt are beginning to realise that tax credits are partly or even largely responsible for the current situation.
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Post by stanleyb on Aug 23, 2015 22:01:39 GMT
I don't accept that migrants are prepared to work for very little. The Polish migrants that I know of are now asking the same as British tradesmen.
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Post by Chris on Aug 24, 2015 6:10:22 GMT
Are now... There's also an awful lot of "hidden" work that migrants do. There must be a loophole in the minimum wage regulations that is exploited by business. A good example is daffodil picking.
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Post by MikeMusic on Aug 24, 2015 8:26:26 GMT
and cockle harvesting  |
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