Amazon India Workers Enduring Unsafe Working Conditions With Little Pay, Says Report

Amazon India warehouse and delivery workers are enduring “unsafe conditions” while “struggling” with insufficient pay, a survey by workers’ collectives UNI Global Union, published in partnership with Amazon India Workers Association (AIWA), said.

As per the report, 86.3% of the surveyed Amazon India warehouse workers and 28% of delivery drivers said that the ecommerce giant does not “allow adequate time” for them to use washrooms. 

The survey encompassed responses from 1,238 Amazon India warehouse workers and 600 delivery drivers, accounting for roughly 2-5% of the company’s total warehouse workforce in the country.

The report also said that “one in five” surveyed delivery drivers reported being injured on the job, adding that “four out of five” warehouse workers claimed that targets set by Amazon India were “difficult or very difficult to achieve”.

“Indian workers face a troubling reality that mirrors the experiences of Amazon employees worldwide… It’s clear that for conditions to improve at Amazon in India and beyond, workers need strong unions,” said UNI Global Union’s general secretary Christy Hoffman

“The report also highlighted Amazon’s inadequate response to workplace injuries. Some workers shared experiences of receiving no assistance after being hurt on the job, while others spoke of health issues due to high work pressure and being denied leave,” it added.

Meanwhile, the ecommerce has reportedly refuted the report. 

“These claims are factually incorrect, unsubstantiated, and contradict what our own employees tell us directly… The data being quoted appears at best questionable, and at worst deliberately designed to deliver on a specific narrative that certain groups are trying to claim as fact,” an Amazon spokesperson told Economic Times. 

The spokesperson added that the company’s most recent internal survey at its Manesar fulfilment centre, conducted randomly and anonymously, showed 87% of its workforce was satisfied with their jobs. It also went on to claim that as many as eight out of 10 current workers recommended Amazon as a great place to work.

In the report, both UNI Global Union and AIWA called on the ecommerce major to offer “equal and higher pay” for its staff and provide adequate “welfare facilities”, including sanitation and hygiene facilities. 

Urging Amazon India to set realistic and practical targets for its warehouse workers, the unions also called for ensuring “appropriate compensation” for all employees affected by duty-related accidents.

The report comes weeks after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took suo motu cognisance of a news report that alleged harsh working conditions at the ecommerce major’s warehouse in Haryana’s Manesar.

The NHRC also sought a detailed report from the Centre over allegations of labour law violations at the warehouse. Afterwards, the labour ministry sought detailed responses from the company on the matter. 

In its communication to the central labour commissioner, Amazon India admitted to breaching workplace safety standards at its Manesar warehouse. The company also conceded that one of its employees led a small group of associates in taking a pledge that they would not take toilet or water breaks till the unloading of packages from six trucks was completed.