A firsthand take on working in an ecommerce shipping warehouse | The Verge:
The balance of power between employees and managers is tipped from the beginning by extensive use of temp agencies, and of course it’s made worse by the difficult job market. Add in what seem to be very high daily quotas, short breaks, long days, and uncomfortable, static-shock-filled days and it’s clearly not the sort of job to aspire to.
The Mother Jones piece seems to be trying to demonize Amazon in a quiet way for how hard they work their warehouse people.
How first world of us.
Back in the 70′s, I worked for the Mouse. 76-80, in fact. In their warehouse, where over time I spent days unloading trucks and stocking shelves, evenings picking orders and unsticking shelves, and the graveyard shift on a forklift driving though Fantasyland and Adventureland delivering pallets of stuffed animals and blocks of american cheese to places all through Disneyland. That was my job.
It was hard work. I enjoyed the hell out of it, but it was hard work. It didn’t pay well, because non-skilled work rarely does. That’s a fact of life. All the Mother Jones article shows me is that nothing’s really changed. Warehouses are warehouses — somewhat more automated, but still, they’re warehouses.
Are we as first worlders getting to the point where hard physical work is somehow evil? Maybe we need to get out from behind keyboards more often, then. Sit down and talk to your plumber, next time you hire them to root out a clogged sewer. Or your gardener, next time they come in to mow and blow your lawn. Or when you go to a restaurant, sit where you can watch the kitchen and see just how hard the wait staff and line cooks work — for a lot less money than they deserve. And don’t be stingy on the tip…
I’m really kind of confused by the Mother Jones piece. It seems to be demonizing — work. have there been abuses at some of Amazon’s warehouse facilities? yes. Well, guess what. abusive bosses exist. they exist in high tech as well, but here in Silicon valley, when you keep a sleeping bag under your desk, it is a badge of honor to some (hint: the company is still taking advantage of you).
Unskilled labor is like this. It’s hard. you work long hours. you’re tired when it’s done, and dirty, and sweaty. You don’t have a lot of pull with management, because, honestly, there really are 20 people who will take your job if you don’t want it, because for them it’s a step up. But if it’s hard work, it’s honest work, and it’s the kind of work that keeps the world running, that makes life for those of us who are able to make a living with a keyboard safer and softer. I guess so we can complain about how unfair it is that those folks have to work hard. Or something.
I guess.
Exactly what point is Mother Jones trying to make here again?
Update: angry drunk has an interesting take on this.
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