California Bill Aims to Track Working Conditions At Amazon Warehouses

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 16 September 2021

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Among the various bills sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk is AB 701, which would require companies that operate warehouses in California to disclose productivity quotas and tracking information to employees and government agencies. The bill takes aim at Amazon Inc., a global retailer that employs more than 150,000 workers and maintains more than 60 warehouses in California. Workers nationwide have complained about grueling conditions at the company’s distribution centers, which demand repetitive tasks and long hours that can lead to injury. We’ll talk about the legislation and efforts to ensure worker safety in Amazon warehouses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:32.1	From KQB in San Francisco, I'm Nina Kim. Coming up on forum, a first of its kind bill sitting on Governor Newsom's desk could change the way Amazon treats its warehouse workers.
0:55.6	AB701 would require all California warehouse operators to report their productivity quotas,
1:01.6	but it's specifically aimed at Amazon, which has faced criticism for demanding workers perform
1:06.6	high-speed repetitive tasks that can lead to missed breaks and injuries.
1:11.0	The bill would have a major impact on the state with 60 Amazon warehouses and 40,000 workers
1:16.8	just in the inland empire alone.
1:19.4	But many see it as a first step toward reining in the retail giant nationally.
1:23.3	We learn more after this news.
1:32.6	Music We learn more after this news. This is Forum.
1:34.0	I'm Nina Kim.
1:35.4	Amazon is on a hiring spree this week for corporate and technology jobs and for its distribution centers,
1:41.6	where it's looking to hire 125,000 more workers for warehouse
1:46.2	and delivery operations. California is home to 60 Amazon warehouses, and a bill now sitting
	...

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