amazon is again in the eye of the hurricane due to the precarious conditions in which its employees work. A few weeks after reporting the death of a worker during the heat wave, the company updated the air conditioning system of the warehouse where it worked. Employees at the EWR9 logistics center in Carteret, New Jersey, showed photos of the newly installed equipment.
In other conditions, this action would go unnoticed. However, the worker who died during Prime Day was in an area of the warehouse where temperatures are particularly high. In accordance with NBCRafael Mota Frías, 42, died on July 13 while working at the logistics center. To silence rumors of a possible death caused by working conditions, Amazon said it was due to a health condition.
Amazon spokesman Sam Stephenson said that after conducting an investigation, they found that the worker was already sick. According to Stephenson, Mota Frias told a co-worker that he had chest pain, but that he did not alert supervisors about it. The company, as usual, maintained secrecy and asked other warehouse employees not to comment on what happened.
Chris Smalls, president of the Amazon Union, posted on Twitter that the company did not act in time to provide care to the employee. According to the union leader, the warehouse took almost an hour to call the emergency services, despite the fact that the worker had been unconscious for 20 minutes on the floor. Smalls also said that Mota Frías alerted his supervisors that he was not feeling well, however, they ignored him and kept him working in the middle of Prime Day.
Amazon is not proactive, it only reacts to misfortunes
The rumors about a possible death from the heat wave they became evident, since Rafael worked as a “water spider”, a term used for someone who keeps the inventory in order. Mota Frías was hauling goods into the warehouse in an area known for its high temperatures. The fact that Amazon upgraded the air conditioning system weeks after the death of the worker has raised suspicions.
Warehouse workers in New Jersey accused Amazon of being a company that reacts. “They wait until something happens and then they act like they’re doing something,” one employee told NBC. This was due to a series of policies implemented in the logistics center after the death of Mota Frías.
Added to the installation of the new air conditioning system, the company began handing out more water and snacks to its employees. Managers encouraged workers to take breaks and even installed charts in restrooms recommending hydration based on urine color.
Stephenson stated that the company always provides access to water stations and encourages its employees to take hydration breaks. The spokesman’s statements contrast with the image of a company that allows working days of up to 14 hours without the possibility of going to the bathroom. The same company that did not offer the minimum security conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic and that fired those who protested for it.
The company is currently facing an investigation by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Amazon isn’t the only company with complaints about working conditions during the heat wave. FedEx and UPS are also in the crosshairs of US regulators.