American politician Bernie Sanders orders an investigation into safety practices at Amazon warehouses
Amazon is facing an inquiry by the US Congress over its warehouse safety patterns, adding to the pressure it faces over its treatment of employees.
Senator Bernie Sanders ordered the investigation, calling the business one of America’s “most dangerous” workers.
He suggested a recent report which found that injury equations at Amazon warehouses in the US are higher than at similar buildings. Amazon said it opposed the claims.
Representative Steve Kelly said the firm had invested around $1bn to improve safety since 2019 and had decreased injuries in the US by 23%.
“We take the safety and health of our employees very seriously. There will always be ways to improve, but we’re proud of our progress,” he stated.
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The union-backed Strategic Organizing Center issued the report quoted by Mr Sanders. Using government data, it found that the firm’s injury rate in 2022 was 70% higher than the rate at non-Amazon facilities.
Regulators with the US Labor Department have even given a string of citations against the business over situations at a few of its warehouses, signs of “ergonomic hazards” tied to the rate at which staff process orders. Amazon has demanded citations.
The Senate inquiry follows the advanced scrutiny Amazon had faced over its treatment of employees since the pandemic when an international outcry over conditions sparked walkouts in Europe, regulatory probes, and a push by employees to unionise at some US warehouses.
In the UK, many Amazon employees in Coventry are on strike, but their union recently started its bid for recognition, charging the shopping company with “dirty tricks”.
Mr Sanders, a self-described socialist who has unsuccessfully aimed to be the Democratic presidential candidate, is notable for his championship of progressive causes.
He has yet criticised Amazon over its tax practices and earnings, a movement that Amazon said played a role in its decision to raise its minimum hourly wage for US employees in 2018 to $15 (£11.75).
Source – BBC
