US Senators urge Labor Secretary Walsh to probe into Amazon's harsh labour practices

In a letter to US Labor Secretary Martin Walsh, Senators Sherrod Brown and Marco Rubio urged that E-commerce giant Amazon should be probed for harsh labour practices, such as unjust dismissals and a lack of sensitivity to catastrophes like the one that killed six workers in a tornado. Recent reports have revealed disturbing working conditions at Amazon, implying improper treatment of its employees, to the harm of workers and families across the country, the senators wrote in the letter. "Amazon employs almost one out of every 170 people in the United States, highlighting our specific interest in ensuring that the company's hiring procedures are fair and legal. We advise you to probe Amazon's labour and employment practises as soon as possible using all available tools," they wrote in the letter as reported by Sputnik.

Brown and Rubio's appeal is part of a bipartisan campaign to rein in Amazon's business practices, which have been criticised by US lawmakers and authorities over the last year. Earlier this year, Letitia James, New York's Attorney General, stated that Amazon might have violated the law when it fired an employee for attending a protest about working conditions at a warehouse operated by the company. The senators referenced media reports of allegations by Amazon employees stating how the company mismanaged their perks and wages.  The employees also accused the corporation of establishing demanding work hours and a general lack of reaction to their complaints owing to its highly automated management procedures.

Six workers died after Amazon's warehouse collapsed during tornado

Senators also cited reports of workers being unable to use the restroom on the job and being compelled to take drastic steps such as urinating in bottles in order to meet work targets. Brown and Rubio also asked Secretary Walsh to look into the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's inquiry into Amazon's conduct following the collapse of its warehouse in Edwardsville earlier this month, which killed six workers. According to the senators, one of the workers killed in the incident texted his girlfriend, alleging that his employer would not let him go home during the storm. Workers also expressed worries about Amazon's apparent lack of disaster response training and the company's expectation that employees work through tornado warnings, Sputnik reported. 

Image: Twitter/@SecMartyWalsh/AP