Amazon's algorithmic management of warehouse workers slated
www.theregister.com
: Web souk hits back at critical study into union drive at package depot

Amazon has used tricks, algorithms, and surveillance to discourage warehouse employees from unionizing, according to a paper published in the journal Socius.

  • Komodo Rodeo@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8·
    1 day ago

    Same old trick in a new venue. This has been happening for a long time in Asian warehousing, but has hopped the pond this last decade or so. Worker’s efficiency is set to a certain rate of efficiency, then they’re reprimanded/fired for failing to meet it. The catch is that it’s a challenging pace to begin with, and the window for successful completion almost-imperceptibly narrows, eventually becoming so ludicrously small that they must injure or maim themselves trying to beat it or even match the pace. Once they quit or cripple themselves, the company simply slides in a new candidate who doesn’t yet understand just how Hellacious the work is.

    • SouthEndSunset@lemm.eeEnglish
      3·
      11 hours ago

      I worked in a British Amazon during the pandemic, the minimum pick rate for one order type was 59 items per hour….its achievable, yeah, if the stars line up. But your minimum is more or less the maximum, if you get me?

      • Komodo Rodeo@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        8 hours ago

        This is exactly the kind of problem I’m talking about, the metric is absurd. 1.02 seconds/item is a level of efficiency seldom seen outside of robots, applying it to human beings is sadistic, especially considering the consequences for failure. I’m convinced that these sorts of setups have been contrived to establish leverage against workers early on as a means to hold their “already coached/this is your last strike” status over their heads for the entirety of their employment.

        I don’t envy Amazon workers that predicament, but it sounds as though you’ve found something different and hopefully better?

        • SouthEndSunset@lemm.eeEnglish
          2·
          5 hours ago

          Yeah, I was there throughout covid…so May 2020 til the first day of 2021 when they say “don’t need you anymore …k thanks bye”. I’ve had some crap jobs, but that’s the only one where I’ve not even been able to face over time. The pick rate for “heavy stuff” was 35 an hour, arguably even worse.

          As for now, I’ve got some electrical qualifications, so I did some short term site work, then found a maintenance role working for the NHS, with a literal one in a million boss…”I trust you to think for yourself but I’m here if you need me”.

          Thank you for asking.