By Ashley Young-
Amazon boss, Jeff Bezos is actually improving the livelihood of its staff, its representatives have said, in response to workers complaints following wide criticism of employee conditions.
Jeff Bezos was called out by Amazon employees after he thanked them for helping fund his space launch. It is not the first time Amazon workers have complained about below standard treatment, despite Bezos known acts of philanthropy over the years.
Amazon has been asked by The Eye Of Media to address the unflattering complaints by some of its employees, and address claims of discontent across all its branches in the Uk.
An Amazon representative anonymously told this publication on phone that the company looks after its staff, but have not provided an official statement to address its complaints.
”The fact a few disgruntled employees complain about exploitation does not make it factual or justified. The minimum wage for employees begin at , £ 9.50 an hour, and temporary and full time workers earn , £10.50 an hour. Remember, Amazon employs about 1,300, 000 employees world wide and have increased staff recently.
Addressing complaints of inhumane conditions, the representative said :” it is against company policy for staff anywhere to subject its staff to inhumane conditions, and staff who feel they are working under inhumane conditions can put in a complaint which will always be examined. Amazon is actually improving the livelihoods of most of its staff ”, the anonymous representative said.
In 2020, Amazon employed 75,000 new staff in the U.S at a wage of $17 per hour, with increased sign-on bonuses in many locations of up to $1,000. The company also hires proficient scientists to address world issues
Last week, Jeff Bezos gave $100m to two CNN journalists for their work in pursuing unity in a divided world- a clear act of generosity that contradicts the complaints made. ”That a few complaints have been made about exploitation does not make the complaints justified’. Amazon employees minimum wage begins at 9.50 in the Uk, the representative anonymously said.
However, after Jeff Bezos shot himself into space last week in his Blue Origin spacecraft and credited its success to the hard work of his employees’ hard work, the global giant company was subjected to criticism.
After the billionaire gave thanks to ‘every Amazon employee and every Amazon customer, because you guys paid for all this’, Amazon employees criticized the founder and former CEO.
Democrat congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also joined in the criticism against the Amazon founder for exploiting staff to pay for his sub-orbital space flight.
“Yes, Amazon workers did pay for this – with lower wages, union busting, a frenzied and inhumane workplace, and delivery drivers not having health insurance during a pandemic,” she wrote in a tweet.
“And Amazon customers are paying for it with Amazon abusing their market power to hurt small business.”
Multi Million Dollar Spacecraft
The Blue Origin spacecraft is thought to have cost in the region of $28 million (£25 million). It was paid for by billions of dollars of Amazon shares sold by Bezos himself. This resulted in Bezos becoming the wealthiest man to ever have entered space.
Instead of receiving appreciation from employees, The Amazon founder has even been accused of exploiting his staff to fund the flight by Democrat Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Ocasio-Cortez said: ‘Yes, Amazon workers did pay for this – with lower wages, union busting, a frenzied and inhumane workplace, and delivery drivers not having health insurance during a pandemic.
‘And Amazon customers are paying for it with Amazon abusing their market power to hurt small business.’
The claim that Amazon workers have suffered lower wages only stands up where the lower wage is too low, and should take into account any reasons for the reduction in wage.