Amazon should get round the table to agree safer ways of working
Imposing new technology from above isn’t enough - Amazon should get round the table with GMB Union to agree safer ways of working
GMB, the union for Amazon workers, has said Amazon has finally admitted it has a problem after introducing new health and safety technology to one of its warehouses.
A site in Yorkshire has been chosen by online giant Amazon to trial technology in its UK operations which it says will support safer ways of working - including automated guided vehicles and robot sorters.
GMB investigations have revealed 100s of ambulance call outs to Amazon warehouses and hundreds more serious injuries or near misses.
Mick Rix, GMB National Officer, said:
"The pace and schedule of work delivered by Amazon’s algorithms dehumanise work.
“They damage worker well-being and have caused literally hundreds of ambulance call outs to Amazon warehouses.
If Amazon is serious about addressing its health and safety problems then it should recognise an independent workers’ voice and get round the table with GMB Union to agree safer ways of working.
Mick Rix, GMB National Officer
“Amazon denies its workplaces are unsafe despite, a mountain of evidence that contradicted them.
“Now, it appears Amazon finally admits it has a problem and has introduced technology to make warehouses safer.
"Imposing new technology from above isn’t enough. If Amazon is serious about addressing its health and safety problems then it should recognise an independent workers’ voice and get round the table with GMB Union to agree safer ways of working."
