Story at a glance
- The two lawmakers said they’ve received complaints from their constituents about inadequate safety guidelines, The Detroit News reports.
- Some Amazon workers have walked off the job in protest of warehouse conditions.
- States have requested data on COVID-19 deaths and infections among workers.
Two Michigan congresswomen are calling for a federal investigation into Amazon fulfillment centers nationwide following complaints of inadequate working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic, according to The Detroit News.
Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Debbie Dingell sent a letter Wednesday to the deputy assistant secretary of labor of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), saying they have been receiving complaints from their constituents about managers failing to adhere to health policies at Amazon warehouse facilities.
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“Worker concerns persist, from an inability to maintain social distancing to a lack of personal protective equipment and hand sanitizer,” the letter said according to The Detroit News. “This is not isolated to our districts, as reports continue to surface across the country about unsafe conditions in Amazon facilities and Amazon workers dying from COVID-19.”
Tlaib and Dingell wrote that employees have reported a lack of increased cleaning and availability of cleaning supplies, lack of information about employees who have been infected and leave policies that don’t allow workers to stay home to avoid the spread of the virus, The Detroit News reports.
.@JeffBezos: Just in case you were unaware, you just pissed off two Congresswomen from Mich & we don’t play. Your corp needs to focus on worker safety. They deserve better than this.
P.S. They call @RepDebDingell & I #doubletrouble. We don’t back down. https://t.co/JXSanCeekt
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 14, 2020
Workers employed at the Romulus facility in Michigan joined Amazon workers across the nation last month, participating in a walkout to protest the online retail giant’s treatment of workers during the coronavirus outbreak.
“I’m calling out this week because I’m scared to come to work and can’t trust Amazon to keep me and my co-workers safe,” an Amazon worker from the fulfillment center in Romulus said at the time.
Amazon responded to the move by the two congresswomen, saying they’ve addressed the lawmakers concerns
“Amazon’s commitment to protecting our team members is clear and has never been stronger,” An Amazon spokesperson told The Hill in a statement.
“It’s surprising that Reps. Dingell and Tlaib are calling for measures that already in place — something we’ve explained to them in great detail on two separate occasions. We invite them to visit any one of our fulfillment centers so they can see firsthand rather than repeatedly asking the same questions.”
On Tuesday, a group of state attorneys general, including the AG from Michigan, asked Amazon for data on coronavirus infections and deaths among its workforce. The letter also called on Amazon and Whole Foods to produce a detailed accounting of their health and safety precautions, as well as to document their compliance with local and state paid sick leave laws.
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The letter also cited reports alleging retaliation against workers for calling attention to unsafe conditions. One former employee, Christian Smalls, said he was fired from Amazon’s Staten Island, N.Y., warehouse in March after organizing a walkout. Amazon denied the retaliation allegation, saying Smalls was fired because he disobeyed instructions to self-quarantine.
Amazon responded to the letters from the attorneys general in a statement, saying safety is the top priority.
“We’ve implemented over 150 significant process changes — from enhanced cleaning and social distancing measures to new efforts like disinfectant spraying,” Amazon told The Hill. “We’ll continue to invest in safety, pay, and benefits for our teams who are playing an invaluable role in getting items to communities around the world.”
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This article was updated 05/14/20 to include a statement from Amazon.
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