Reply to: Panorama - Amazon: The truth behind the click

[Mich the Tester]

We let the Chinese suffer those now.

After all, there's billions of them.

But now the Chinese are outsourcing it to Africans. Often very small Africans who are good at clambering in and out of confined spaces. Then some of them grow bigger and they get fired; they're the lucky ones.

[minestrone]

Really want to hate Amazon but the site is just so good and easy to operate, I just get drawn in. I do now do a quick check the price is reasonable (not always the case) but all things being equal I buy from them.
I have a vague concern for how they treat people but don't think any of what I have seen is outrageous. There used to be vast numbers of basic jobs (or a good war) that mopped up all the people with these basic abilities - many of them grim and dirty. Most of these are gone and we are left with call centres and places like this.

Exactly, the left have been screaming about the death of the pits for 20 years, lets open them back up and cram the useless down them.

After a few cave ins, gas explosions and tip collapses they will be begging to get back to the warehouse.

[lukemg]

Really want to hate Amazon but the site is just so good and easy to operate, I just get drawn in. I do now do a quick check the price is reasonable (not always the case) but all things being equal I buy from them.
I have a vague concern for how they treat people but don't think any of what I have seen is outrageous. There used to be vast numbers of basic jobs (or a good war) that mopped up all the people with these basic abilities - many of them grim and dirty. Most of these are gone and we are left with call centres and places like this.

[minestrone]

it is how professional sportsmen are trained and soldiers. No one whines about that

How the fook would you know?

[mudskipper]

It depends on the illness.

The problem is that some people especially if they are young and live at home don't need to go to work to fully support themselves so throw sickies when they feel like it.

Sickness policies aim to deter people like that.

Unfortunately they do catch people with chronic illnesses and this is where the company needs to be careful.

Indeed. If you're disabled, and your disability means you sometimes need time off, such a policy can be considered discriminatory.

[SueEllen]

1 penalty point for a sickie. 3 and your out the door. Bit harsh.

Surely this is not legal?

It depends on the illness.

The problem is that some people especially if they are young and live at home don't need to go to work to fully support themselves so throw sickies when they feel like it.

Sickness policies aim to deter people like that.

Unfortunately they do catch people with chronic illnesses and this is where the company needs to be careful.

[DodgyAgent]

1 penalty point for a sickie. 3 and your out the door. Bit harsh.

Surely this is not legal?

it is how professional sportsmen are trained and soldiers. No one whines about that

[darmstadt]

Whilst charging how much for your own pay?

We'd all probably charge less if there wasn't a middleman involved

[psychocandy]

1 penalty point for a sickie. 3 and your out the door. Bit harsh.

Surely this is not legal?

[DodgyAgent]

Industry standard


I have no problem with people being paid less or more for different jobs with different skill levels.

I'm not as skilled as a Doctor or even NLYUK. so I don't deserve the same pay.

If I were doing a menial job then I expect menial pay. I don't expect to be hounded every hour for minimum wage just to make someone 10p more an hour.

How do you justify getting so much more than a warehouse worker, particularly when all you do is remove jobs.

[vetran]

Whilst charging how much for your own pay?

Industry standard


I have no problem with people being paid less or more for different jobs with different skill levels.

I'm not as skilled as a Doctor or even NLYUK. so I don't deserve the same pay.

If I were doing a menial job then I expect menial pay. I don't expect to be hounded every hour for minimum wage just to make someone 10p more an hour.

[DodgyAgent]

Actually I tried to save as many as I could, .

Whilst charging how much for your own pay?

[vetran]

You tell me . You are the one who has been central to removing many of the low paid jobs and now you do not like the idea of people working in warehouses.

Actually I tried to save as many as I could, the Finance & C level geniuses moved them all overseas, something to do with the labour being cheaper.

We build throughput not redundancies. Keep the business more profitable than any other site and we don't lose staff. Every organisation takeover I was involved in has tried to turn a failing unit into a profitable one, we have succeeded a number of times. The job cuts are normally done before we get a look in.

You arrive on site and say - tell us about your processes, as the guy is packing their cardboard box.

I don't mind people working in warehouses, I suspect the tactics used to get the most out of them in some companies are less than humane.

[Platypus]

£6 an hour is then subsidised by WTC so we all pay for the big firms profits.

Well said. Why don't more people realise this? It's a disgrace.

[vetran]

• Bait for fishermen
• Swap work: barter car repairs for electrical work, sewing for plumbing, etc.

More at:
"What careers are there for dumb people? "
What careers are there for dumb people? - Yahoo Answers

Blimey that is a bit severe chopping up the unemployed to catch Carp to eat.

Bartering would be subject to taxation! (Yeah I thought it was cheeky)
Must I pay tax on bartered services? - FT.com

yes all these can be done, however if they took a job at Amazon then they probably aren't budding businessmen.