US Senate becomes the latest government sector to look into Amazon's warehouse safety practices. A letter was sent to Amazon Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy, urged by the committee to address health and safety issues at the company's warehouses.
(Photo : Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 25: An Amazon signage is seen a the entrance of the LDJ5 Amazon Sort Center on April 25, 2022 in New York City.
Facing Probe from US Senate
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Senator Bernie Sanders launched a probe this week against Amazon and its working conditions in its warehouses. According to a report from Engadget, Sanders demanded the company address health and safety issues and requested additional information about its response.
Sander believes that Amazon's operations have led to unsafe physical environments, intense pressure to work at unsustainable rates, and inadequate medical attention from tens of thousands of employees from the company every year. Sanders accused Amazon of making decisions that actively harm workers in the name of its bottom line.
Employees have been struggling with what Amazon is practicing in the workplace, including the design and setup of the warehouse and workstation, the pace of work requirements, the medical care for injuries, and subsequent pressure to return the work. Sanders wrote in his letter sent to CEO Andy Jassy that the company expired nearly 39,000 injuries, 95% of which were serious.
"Amazon's rate of serious injuries at its warehouses. And despite constituting only a little more than a third of the warehouse workers in the country, Amazon workers suffered more serious injuries than all of the other warehouse workers in the United States combined," Sander noted.
Along with the demands of the senator is information about the company's systematically underreported injury rates, employee turnover, productivity targets, and adherence to federal and safety recommendations. Amazon has been always present in the senator's speeches as an example of practicing income inequality and corporate greed in the country.
Also Read: OSHA and Federal Prosecutors are Investigating Amazon Warehouses Over Workplace Safety Issues
Amazon's Response
Amazon Spokesperson Steve Kelly responded to this move from the Senate and said, "We've reviewed the letter and strongly disagree with Senator Sanders' assertions. He added that it has extended an invitation for the Senator to tour one of its facilities, ensuring the company's operations are not "uniquely dangerous."
This investigation marks the latest he had launched since assuming his role as chairman of the Senate HELP Committee in January. The Washington Post reported that Sanders received this position with vast authority to direct national attention to the practices of several companies in the country, including Starbucks and Moderna, to interrogate corporate leaders.
The company recorded a 23% reduction in injuries since 2019, pointing to a previous company statement. The company invested more than $1 billion into safety initiatives, projects, and programs. "We'll continue investing and inventing in this area because nothing is more important than our employees' safety," Kelly added.
Related Article: Safety Agency Claims that Amazon Failed to Record Work-related Injuries at Warehouses
