Home Committee Investigating Amazon Labor Practices

The Home Committee on Oversight and Reform has opened an investigation into Amazon’s labor practices throughout extreme climate occasions, based on a letter members despatched to Andy Jassy, Amazon’s chief govt.

“We’re involved by current stories that Amazon could also be placing the well being and security of its employees in danger, together with by requiring them to work in harmful situations throughout tornadoes, hurricanes and different excessive climate,” stated the letter, signed by the committee chairwoman, Carolyn B. Maloney, in addition to Representatives Cori Bush and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The investigation will deal with the December twister that hit Amazon’s delivery station in Edwardsville, Sick., killing six folks. Most individuals on the facility weren’t Amazon’s direct workers. They have been subcontracted supply drivers, a complication that impeded the response when the authorities couldn’t readily decide how many individuals have been on website. The ability didn’t have a twister safe room, which was not required by constructing code.

At the least one subcontracted driver was told to keep delivering in the course of the storm, based on textual content messages Bloomberg Information revealed. Amazon stated the subcontractor’s dispatcher didn’t comply with its security protocols.

“Our focus continues to be on supporting our workers and companions, the households who misplaced family members, the encircling group, and all these affected by the tornadoes,” Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokeswoman, stated in an announcement. “We are going to reply to this letter in the end.”

Amazon’s labor practices have come below growing scrutiny because it has grown to turn out to be the nation’s second-largest personal employer, after Walmart. The corporate employs 1.1 million employees instantly in the USA, plus many extra via contractors.

The letter requested Amazon for paperwork and communications associated to the way it managed its work drive throughout a number of pure disasters, together with fires in California, a warmth wave within the Pacific Northwest and Hurricane Irma in Florida.

“This investigation will inform legislative efforts to curb unfair labor practices, strengthen protections for employees and deal with the consequences of local weather change on employee security,” it stated.