In 2019, reports emerged that workers at an Amazon warehouse in the UK were having to urinate in plastic bottles rather than go to the toilet during their shifts.
Amidst a scorching heatwave, Amazon workers at the Manesar warehouse in Haryana have reportedly been subjected to extreme working conditions. Allegations have surfaced that employees were asked to take an “oath” that they would not take toilet or water breaks until their target is achieved. As per a report in Indian Express, a 24-year-old who works for five days a week, 10 hours a day and earns Rs 10,088 a month revealed that “Even if we work without any breaks, including the lunch and tea breaks that are 30 minutes each, we can’t unload more than four trucks a day. Just two days ago, we took a pledge that we would forgo water and washroom breaks to improve performance and attain the target.”
One worker, who requested anonymity, described an incident on 16 May when warehouse employees were allegedly asked to work continuously without breaks in order to meet their targets. And the target is: unloading packages from six trucks, measuring 24 feet each.
As per a report in the publication, over the past month, the “inbound team” at the warehouse has taken the oath around eight times, particularly on hectic days when the workload is more. The “outbound team”, which took the pledge once, is reminded of their targets daily. The outbound team takes care of articles meant to be shifted/shipped out of the warehouse, while the inbound team deals with articles received from other sources.
A male worker recounted instances when several colleagues had fainted from the intense heat but were given a paracetamol tablet and asked to go back to work after resting for 10-15 minutes. Workers in the areas where products and packages are loaded and unloaded from trucks face particularly harsh conditions. “The trailers sit in the sun for two to three hours, making the interiors scorching hot. Yet we’re still expected to unload them in just five minutes,” he explained.
Women worst affected
The worker also alleged that women are the worst affected as “the trucks are hot from being parked outside, and when they unload articles, they get exhausted quickly.”
A woman working at the warehouse said there is no restroom on the premises, adding, “If we are unwell, the only option is to go to the washroom or locker room. There is a sick room with a bed, but workers are asked to leave after 10 minutes. I stand for nine hours a day, and am supposed to go through 60 small products or 40 medium-sized products every hour.”
Her customer returns department also took an oath: “Repeat after me, we will attain the target, we won’t go to the washroom, we will not drink,” she recited.
The employee alleged that when women workers tried to rest in the bathrooms, the managers came looking for them.
“The designated break rooms are small and unbearably hot, so many female workers end up resting in the bathrooms during their breaks. However, managers come searching for us if they feel that we have stayed too long, pressuring us to return to work,” she said.
During the ongoing heatwave, Amazon warehouse workers are forced to rest in locker rooms due to lack of proper facilities. AIWA urges Amazon to provide decent resting areas and implement immediate heat protection measures. ✊🏽#AmazonWorkers #Heatwave #MakeAmazonPay pic.twitter.com/wzblSraujb
— Amazon India Workers Association (@AiwaInd) June 4, 2024
Amazon responds
An Amazon India spokesperson responded to the allegations saying, “We’re investigating these claims, but to be clear, we’d never make these kinds of requests on our employees as part of standard business practice. If we discovered an incident such as the one that’s been alleged, we’d immediately put a stop to it and ensure the manager involved was re-trained on our expectations of team support, health, and safety. We’ll continue to investigate.”
In a statement to The Independent, Amazon maintained that the safety and wellbeing of their employees was paramount. “All Amazon sites have been equipped with heat index devices that constantly monitor changes in temperature,” the company said.
“We have heat index monitoring devices in all our buildings and keep a close eye on temperature changes, especially in summer. If the heat or humidity rises, we take steps to ensure comfortable working conditions, including sometimes stopping work temporarily. Our buildings have cooling systems like ventilation, fans, and spot coolers. We provide plenty of water and hydration, regular rest breaks in cooler areas, and extra breaks when it’s hot. Employees can take informal breaks anytime during their shifts to use the restroom, get water, or talk to a manager or HR.”
Similar accusations encountered by Amazon
According to The Guardian, Amazon has also encountered similar accusations internationally. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the US cited the company in 2022 and 2023 for unsafe working conditions, ergonomic risks, and inadequate injury reporting at six warehouses.
In 2019, reports emerged that workers at an Amazon warehouse in the UK were having to urinate in plastic bottles rather than go to the toilet during their shifts. Union officials said they were taking action after more than 600 reports were made from Amazon warehouses to the health and safety executive in the past four years.