Baltimore Amazon Workers Organize Campaign in Defense of Workers Lives

Billionaire Jeff Bezos must do better for Amazon warehouse and contract workers during the corona virus crisis.  Below are five demands that local Baltimore and Maryland Amazon workers, present and past, and their supporters are demanding.  We hope you will sign our petition and circulate these demands widely to friends and neighbors. SIGN PETITION

Demand 1.

Daily screening of all workers for fever and outward signs of COVID 19.  Weekly testing for all amazon warehouse workers. Amazon workers are now categorized as essential to public service. Workers must have guaranteed safety networks in place. At any given time there are three to four thousand workers in a single building; this is not just a health risk to those individuals but to the whole community.  Workers must be informed if there is an outbreak of COVID 19 or if a worker tests positive in a timely manner..

Demand 2.

We demand that a minimum of $15.00 an hour extra added to the 15 dollar base pay as hazard pay. Amazon now pays $2.00 extra during the quarantine but the company actually paid $2.40 extra during the holiday periods which is more than they are offering during these extreme health risks. During this crisis and  dangerous conditions it’s not enough. Amazon should not be making extra profit during this pandemic using exploited labor. 

Demand 3.

Workers who are elderly, disabled and have weaker immune systems should be able to stay home with full paid sick leave until the conditions are safe for them to return. We must protect vulnerable workers. 

Demand 4.

End write-ups for failing to meet productivity rates and quotas.  Workers need to have the time to physically sanitize their work areas, wash their hands when needed, and practice safety without fear that they will be written up for working too slow.  This not only protects workers; it protects the community that receives packages.

Demand 5. 

Extend all the above demands to  contract workers at all amazon facilities. As we know all facilities have third party contracted workers who make less than $15 who do all the housekeeping and other work including deliveries.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezo has bid 10 billion dollars to fight the Covid19 pandemic. This money is by definition exploited labor. We know Amazon has never paid their fair share in taxes and have profited trillions of dollars throughout the years. They must use some of the money towards the welfare of the workers and the community.  As of this post, workers have tested positive at 8 different warehouses.