Amazon employees encouraged to ask company mascot for help with financial hardships

[midian182]

Facepalm: Good news for Amazon warehouse workers living in fear of being injured, fired, or replaced by machines as they earn $17 per hour at a company that generated $9.9 billion in profit last quarter: they can write a letter to the company mascot, Peccy, if they're facing financial hardships this holiday season in the hope "some of their holiday wishes" come true.

A new report from The Guardian reveals that Amazon warehouse SWF1 in Rock Tavern, New York, posted a flier reading: "Are you or someone you know facing financial hardship this holiday season? Peccy wants to help! Write a letter to Peccy. If the Peccy team selects you, some of your holiday wishes could come true!"

Peccy is Amazon's definitely-not-a-Minion-rip-off orange mascot. He also acts as a "cultural ambassador" for the company. Why is he called Peccy? According to an Amazon HR director, it's because "he represents our peculiar ways. We call ourselves at Amazon very peculiar." Employees being forced to urinate in bottles, for example, is quite peculiar.

Credit: The Guardian

Unsurprisingly, writing letters to an orange blob in the hope of being able to survive Christmas or spend time with loved ones instead of working every hour of the day isn't going down well with employees. Keith Williams, a worker at the Amazon SWF1 warehouse, was especially critical of the competition in light of the company's $9.9 billion in profits and $143 billion of revenue during the last quarter.

"It's startling to see them shell out all this money to promote Amazon, get us excited about Amazon, but not actually give us what would endear us to Amazon, which would be a living wage," he told The Guardian.

"All we're just asking for from Amazon is to do what they're clearly able to do with the billions of dollars that they have. We just want to share in some of the efforts that we do for Amazon," Williams added. "We want wages. Not trinkets."

The average wage for an Amazon warehouse worker is $20.50 per hour, but it starts at $17 an hour. Holiday seasons and sales events often see employees putting in overtime and extra shifts, working six or seven days in a row. "People are being pushed past their limit," Williams said. A report in April found the rate of worker injuries in Amazon warehouses during 2022 was 70% higher than those in similar warehouses, and the rate of serious injuries was twice as high.

Amazon warehouse workers are also worried about the prospect of their jobs being taken by robots. In October, the company introduced two new machines: the Roomba-like Sequoia, and the humanoid Digit, a two-legged robot that can walk forward, backward, and sideways, squat and bend, and move, grasp, and handle items using its arm/hand-like clasps.

Amazon has defended the competition, calling it well-intentioned while claiming it received a lot of positive feedback from employees. Amazon also pointed out that the initiative was limited to the New York site and not company-wide, and that it is investing more money toward pay increases and extra holiday pay incentives.

Amazon's corporate workers aren't having a fun time right now, either. The company's strict return-to-office policy is pushing many employees into quitting.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/101263-amazon-employees-encouraged-ask-company-mascot-help-financial.html

 

[MasterMace]

Literal comic book villains

 

[Theinsanegamer]

I remember when Amazon went to $15 an hour a few years ago, and everyone was cheering how amazing that was. I called out, back then, that people would quickly forget this virtue signal and then demand even more, treating $15 like we used to treat $7.

Now we're here, and $17 (actually average of $20.50 an hour but that's hidden in the middle of the article because that wouldnt generate as many clicks) is treated like paltry salted bread while whining about corporate profits. Amazing.

And regardless, you could pay $100 an hour, there will always be people who cant manage their money. The biggest difference between low and middle class households is financial literacy and discipline, not income. Anyone who has worked in a professional environment long enough has seen that first hand.

"All we're just asking for from Amazon is to do what they're clearly able to do with the billions of dollars that they have. We just want to share in some of the efforts that we do for Amazon," Williams added. "We want wages. Not trinkets."

Here's the thing. Warehouse workers are a low skill job. If you walk out tomorrow, 20 people will be in line for your job. Does that suck? Yeah, $17 isnt great, and the conditions are hard. They are also not unique to amazon. Warehouse work sucks no matter where you are. Just like factory work does. And it doesnt pay well anywhere either, because nearly any mouth breather can do it. Go learn an actual skill, like plumbing. Or carpentry. Or electrical wiring. The trades pay far better and never have enough people.

 

[maxxcool7421]

I remember when Amazon went to $15 an hour a few years ago, and everyone was cheering how amazing that was. I called out, back then, that people would quickly forget this virtue signal and then demand even more, treating $15 like we used to treat $7.

Now we're here, and $17 (actually average of $20.50 an hour but that's hidden in the middle of the article because that wouldnt generate as many clicks) is treated like paltry salted bread while whining about corporate profits. Amazing.

And regardless, you could pay $100 an hour, there will always be people who cant manage their money. The biggest difference between low and middle class households is financial literacy and discipline, not income. Anyone who has worked in a professional environment long enough has seen that first hand.


Here's the thing. Warehouse workers are a low skill job. If you walk out tomorrow, 20 people will be in line for your job. Does that suck? Yeah, $17 isnt great, and the conditions are hard. They are also not unique to amazon. Warehouse work sucks no matter where you are. Just like factory work does. And it doesnt pay well anywhere either, because nearly any mouth breather can do it. Go learn an actual skill, like plumbing. Or carpentry. Or electrical wiring. The trades pay far better and never have enough people.

Nice defense of Bezos.. well written. Too bad that's not how amerikkka works today. Even college is part of the great wage slave machine... if yuo could afford it. But you can't, beacuse of the crappy wage.

It is time for billionaires to die.

 

[mrvco]

Doing unskilled labor for $2.35 / hour was all the fuel I needed to level myself up in life. Learn a trade, join the military, start a small business, attend JuCo.. something, anything is better than lingering on the bottom rung of the career ladder in anticipation of being gifted a 'living wage'. At least get involved in workplace automation and efficiency efforts so maybe you can repair the machines that will inevitably replace you and your 'living wage' unskilled colleagues.

Granted, not everyone can be a multi-millionaire influencer with the snap of their fingers, but it's not difficult to stand out and excel in most entry-level / unskilled workplaces nowadays, just showing up on time for work and not looking like a slob will set you apart from the low-effort / high-expectations rabble and at least provide you with a job reference that can open doors to get off that bottom rung.

 

[p51d007]

Nice defense of Bezos.. well written. Too bad that's not how amerikkka works today. Even college is part of the great wage slave machine... if yuo could afford it. But you can't, beacuse of the crappy wage.

It is time for billionaires to die.

Without the billionaires, YOU would have nothing.

 

[RandomWAN]

This is no different than the people who work at a fast food restaurant and stay as a cashier/line cook and then demand more money for doing the same job. They don't seek any upward movement, but then think they deserve more money simply for existing. If you're in any job and still in the same position after a year there, you either don't have the ability, the ambition, or there is no room for advancement and you should seek other employment.

Stagnating at a low skill job and then demanding more money for providing the same value to the company is the height of entitelment. You should always be looking to improve your skillset and move up the ladder, whether at your current employer or in your chosen career field.

 

[toooooot]

Cringy.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

If your most valuable skill is being able to pick something up and move it from point A to point B you don’t get to complain that you’re underpaid.

There are free online courses that will teach you how to program.

If Amazon offends your liberal sensibilities, stop using it.

 

[puckle]

Without the billionaires, YOU would have nothing.

Yep, it's all too easy to forget that before the first rich person, nobody had a job.

 

[Dimitrios]

I remember when Amazon went to $15 an hour a few years ago, and everyone was cheering how amazing that was. I called out, back then, that people would quickly forget this virtue signal and then demand even more, treating $15 like we used to treat $7.

Now we're here, and $17 (actually average of $20.50 an hour but that's hidden in the middle of the article because that wouldnt generate as many clicks) is treated like paltry salted bread while whining about corporate profits. Amazing.

And regardless, you could pay $100 an hour, there will always be people who cant manage their money. The biggest difference between low and middle class households is financial literacy and discipline, not income. Anyone who has worked in a professional environment long enough has seen that first hand.


Here's the thing. Warehouse workers are a low skill job. If you walk out tomorrow, 20 people will be in line for your job. Does that suck? Yeah, $17 isnt great, and the conditions are hard. They are also not unique to amazon. Warehouse work sucks no matter where you are. Just like factory work does. And it doesnt pay well anywhere either, because nearly any mouth breather can do it. Go learn an actual skill, like plumbing. Or carpentry. Or electrical wiring. The trades pay far better and never have enough people.

Well we have millionaire YouTubers that are mouth breathers, we have mouth breathers that are actors and in the music industry. We have news reporters and politicians that make a lot of money for just doing nothing, lying or just destroying countries.Don't ask me what my point is, I just lost total interest on this subject now lol.

 

[umeng2002]

I'd rather work in a mine.

 

[DukeJukem]

I remember when Amazon went to $15 an hour a few years ago, and everyone was cheering how amazing that was. I called out, back then, that people would quickly forget this virtue signal and then demand even more, treating $15 like we used to treat $7.

Now we're here, and $17 (actually average of $20.50 an hour but that's hidden in the middle of the article because that wouldnt generate as many clicks) is treated like paltry salted bread while whining about corporate profits. Amazing.

And regardless, you could pay $100 an hour, there will always be people who cant manage their money. The biggest difference between low and middle class households is financial literacy and discipline, not income. Anyone who has worked in a professional environment long enough has seen that first hand.


Here's the thing. Warehouse workers are a low skill job. If you walk out tomorrow, 20 people will be in line for your job. Does that suck? Yeah, $17 isnt great, and the conditions are hard. They are also not unique to amazon. Warehouse work sucks no matter where you are. Just like factory work does. And it doesnt pay well anywhere either, because nearly any mouth breather can do it. Go learn an actual skill, like plumbing. Or carpentry. Or electrical wiring. The trades pay far better and never have enough people.

Well...here's the thing as well...this country was built on low skill. This country wasn't made with welders, electricians and blueprints. It was built by people with shovels in their hands and not a power tool, blueprint or skill to be found aside from physical capability. So I argue being able to go murder yourself physically every day for no reward...is a pretty big skill in a sense.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Well...here's the thing as well...this country was built on low skill. This country wasn't made with welders, electricians and blueprints. It was built by people with shovels in their hands and not a power tool, blueprint or skill to be found aside from physical capability. So I argue being able to go murder yourself physically every day for no reward...is a pretty big skill in a sense.

And most of those people lived destitute lives. the Irish weren't buying Gucci bags or drinking Starbucks daily.

Let's not forget, the 17 is starting pay. The average is $20.50. Not counting overtime. $20 isnt a bad wage for a mouth breather job. If you cant make it on $20 an hour, its not the wage thats the problem.

Nice defense of Bezos.. well written. Too bad that's not how amerikkka works today. Even college is part of the great wage slave machine... if yuo could afford it. But you can't, beacuse of the crappy wage.

It is time for billionaires to die.

Stop buying $1000 iphones.
Stop spending $5 a day on starbucks
Stop eating out every meal
Stop consooming digital trash.

And stop blaming Bezos for your inability to manage your money. If you cant live on $20.50 an hour you are the problem, full stop.

 

[VaRmeNsI]

Unskilled work is really for children/students, not grown adults.

 

[Vanderkaum037]

Without the billionaires, YOU would have nothing.

No, but the converse is true. Without workers, educated by taxpayer-funded education, transported on taxpayer-funded roads, selling in markets kept free by a taxpayer-funded military, and without the consumption of the workers who do 100% of the actual work, the billionaires would have nothing.

Somehow mankind survived several millennia without Amazon. I'm quite alright if they are gone tomorrow. Without consumers, workers and taxpayers however, Amazon would have nobody to buy its products, transport them, etc.

People keep muddying the waters on this issue.

 

[toooooot]

Unskilled work is really for children/students, not grown adults.

It is fair to assume that a large chunk of our population has
average intelligence level though.
I am not saying it is impossible to achieve something great having
your parents passed to you just that,but it takes so much more effort
to do so that a lot of people go Amazon job route.
One of the things I find really eye rolling is really smart people who easily achieve
success without barely trying and then boast greatly about their accomplishments.
What somebody else literally has to fight through, they read one book and they are ready to go.
It is not something amazing to be great at things when you are really smart and gifted.

 

[DukeJukem]

And most of those people lived destitute lives. the Irish weren't buying Gucci bags or drinking Starbucks daily.

Let's not forget, the 17 is starting pay. The average is $20.50. Not counting overtime. $20 isnt a bad wage for a mouth breather job. If you cant make it on $20 an hour, its not the wage thats the problem.

Stop buying $1000 iphones.
Stop spending $5 a day on starbucks
Stop eating out every meal
Stop consooming digital trash.

And stop blaming Bezos for your inability to manage your money. If you cant live on $20.50 an hour you are the problem, full stop.

Are Gucci Bags and Starbucks a requirement for life or something? You're missing the point whilst trying to make another while contradicting yourself. You bring up the destitute lives of the Irish while mentioning starbucks as if that product would've been one of the many inventions that would have sent them into royalty or something lol. Then you tell people to stop buying starbucks...kind of dumb.