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Amazon’s warehouse working situations, which have come underneath elevated scrutiny lately, at the moment are on the coronary heart of a congressional probe that is being led by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
In a letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Sanders, who chairs the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, stated the e-retailer’s “quest for profits at all costs” has brought about warehouse staff to expertise unsafe working environments with out entry to satisfactory medical consideration.
“Amazon is well aware of these dangerous conditions, the life-altering consequences for workers injured on the job, and the steps the company could take to reduce the significant risks of injury,” wrote Sanders, an impartial who caucuses with the Democratic get together. “Yet the company has made a calculated decision not to implement adequate worker protections because Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, and you, his successor as Chief Executive Officer, have created a corporate culture that treats workers as disposable.”
Steve Kelly, an Amazon spokesperson, informed CNBC in an announcement that the corporate has acquired Sanders’ letter and is within the early phases of reviewing it. Separately, the corporate stated Sanders has been invited to tour certainly one of Amazon’s warehouses.
Sanders referred to as on Jassy to show over extra info associated to Amazon’s damage and turnover charges, in addition to knowledge on its on-site medical clinic, referred to as AMCARE, relationship again to 2019. He additionally requested Jassy to say whether or not Amazon has, internally or via a 3rd get together, examined “the connection between the pace of work of its warehouse workers and the prevalence or cost of injuries at its warehouses.”
Sanders stated Jassy has till July 5, to reply to the inquiry. The HELP committee posted a type on its web site searching for testimonials from present and former Amazon staff about their experiences on the firm.
Amazon faces ongoing federal probes into its security document past the Senate’s actions. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are investigating situations at a number of warehouses, whereas the Department of Justice can also be analyzing whether or not Amazon underreports accidents.
Amazon says it is made progress on decreasing accidents throughout its U.S. operations, and continues to put money into security initiatives, tasks and applications. It’s additionally appealed a string of citations issued by OSHA in current months round security hazards and violations.
Under Sanders’ management, the HELP committee has taken purpose at different firms’ office document Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz testified in entrance of the committee in March after Sanders repeatedly criticized the espresso chain’s dealing with of employees’ unionization efforts. Sanders has additionally been a frequent critic of Amazon’s labor practices, internet hosting a Senate Budget Committee listening to in May of final yr and alluring Bezos to debate the corporate’s method to unions.
WATCH: Why OSHA is investigating Amazon for ‘failing to maintain employees protected’
Source: www.cnbc.com”