Amazon said it will create new permanent jobs for its warehouse teams in Australia following the release of a report that detailed claims of poor working conditions in warehouses in the country.
ABC reported on Wednesday that Amazon workers on a Melbourne warehouse said performance is timed per second since they are expected to work in "Amazon pace," a work regimen described by interviewed employees as "somewhere between walking and jogging."
Furthermore, Amazon workers said they could be sent home before their shifts are over without getting pay for the rest of their shifts once orders are completed. They added that every employee is on "casual" status, meaning they are not sure whether they will be hired again for a succeeding shift.
All workers who spoke with the outlet requested anonymity but they shared detailed accounts of what has been going on within Australian warehouses. One of the interviewees said, "I feel like they resent the fact that I'm not a robot and that I'm made of flesh and bone."
Heather Ikin, an organizational psychologist, described Amazon's working practices as a form of "abusive supervision." Ikin said this kind of environment could lead employees to develop constant anxiety.
Another staff member said the company has an ideology that would "brainwash you into becoming the star player of Amazon." While many of the workers interviewed in the past said they were excited to be part of the world's biggest company based on market value, the latest interview indicated changes.
Amazonians revealed they are expected to collect around 120 products within an hour or two products in 1 minute, causing mental and physical exhaustion by the end of their shifts.
In response to the exposé, Amazon's Director of Operations Australia, Robert Bruce told Business Insider through an email, "As we grow our local operations, we will be transitioning the majority of the associates to full-time permanent employees with competitive pay and benefits, as we have done in other places where we operate around the world."
The email also noted that the Seattle-based retail giant will create 500 permanent jobs for its Australian base. In response to the claims of poor working environments in Australian warehouses, the company said ABC's report was "intentionally sensational" and is hurting the work etiquette of the firm's dedicated staffers.
Founder Jeff Bezos previously dismissed claims made by staffers in other Amazon warehouses in the United States and in Britain. He said in 2018 that he is proud of the working conditions and wages the company offers to its workers.
