Published 12:44 IST, May 11th 2020
'Nearly 600 Amazon employees positive for coronavirus,' claims company staffer on US news
At least 600 Amazon employees have tested positive for coronavirus and six of those infected have died, a company employee, Jana Jumpp, told US media.
At least 600 Amazon employees have tested positive for coronavirus and six died, according to reports. Jana Jumpp, 59, who works at an Amazon warehouse in Indiana told '60 Minutes' TV show host that she believes that the number is higher than this but they have at least 600 confirmed cases. Jumpp is reportedly tracking the number of Amazon employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 at different locations throughout the US.
Unsafe working conditions
The report claims that she gathers information by connecting with coworkers across the country collecting the automated text messages and robocalls Amazon sends its employees when someone tests positive at one of its facilities. Dave Clark, Amazon's head of operations, reportedly said that this is not the right way to solve the problem. Clark reportedly said that the actual total number of cases is not useful as it's relative to the size of the building and then the overall community infection rate.
According to the reports, Amazon, Inc. is considered to be the second-largest private employer in the US and recently announced that it had hired an additional 175,000 people during the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, nine US senators which include Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris wrote a letter to Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos seeking information about the company policies for discipline and termination regarding workers who raise health and safety concerns. The letter reportedly focussed on four former Amazon workers who were fired after they raised concerns about warehouse conditions during the pandemic in March and April.
On the other hand, hundreds of Amazon employees in the United States walked out of work from April 21 to protest against the allegedly unsafe working condition. Labour groups like ‘United for Respect’ and ‘New York Communities for Change’ are working to mobilise employees for mass action by workers amid coronavirus pandemic. Over 300 Amazon employees have reportedly pledged to work from home, accusing the retail giant of putting its revenue above workers’ safety. They have claimed that the company failed in providing enough safe masks and not implemented strict temperature checks at the warehouses.
(Image Credit: AP)
Updated 13:43 IST, May 11th 2020