Amazon has dismissed claims that workers in its distribution centers are so overworked that they have to urinate in bottles, and then found out that there's proof.
U.S. Representative Mark Pocan, a Wisconsin Democrat, complained about the company's union-busting practices and the fact that some of its employees are forced to "urinate in water bottles" to meet work targets.
Amazon's official Twitter account responded: "You don't really believe the peeing in bottles thing, do you? If that were true, nobody would work for us."
After Amazon's tweet, reporters covering the company's labor practices virtually lined up to provide proof.
The Intercept added more fuel to the fire Thursday with a new report outlining not only more instances of drivers urinating into bottles, but also defecating into bags.
According to documents collected by The Intercept, Amazon was aware that drivers were urinating and defecating in public while on the job, and the activities were classified as recurring infractions in a January document.
In 2018, English journalist James Bloodworth released the book: "Hired: Six Months Undercover in Low-Wage Britain," in which he described his experience working with companies like Amazon.
Bloodworth's book sparked some of the most widely circulated stories of Amazon employees being forced to pee in bottles to save time while hitting the company's goals.
Vice also published an article Thursday with the headline: "Amazon Denies Workers Pee in Bottles. Here Are the Pee Bottles."
A photo of two urine-filled bottles was sent by an Amazon driver to Vice reporter Lauren Kaori Gurley. As Gurley pointed out, these "piss bottles" are frequently seen on a Reddit subreddit devoted to Amazon delivery drivers.
Amazon has played defense as President Joe Biden and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have upped their support for the union drive.
In recent weeks, the company has regularly replied on Twitter to criticisms of its labor practices, and it has advertised the $15-an-hour minimum wage in print and digital ads.
