New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed into law legislation intended to rein in work quotas at warehouses, including Amazon. We've gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other outlets.
Warehouse Worker Protection Act
The Warehouse Worker Protection Act requires warehouses to disclose work speed data to employees. The law prohibits companies from firing workers because they failed to meet work rate quotas that weren't transparent or didn't allow enough time for breaks.
The law applies to any large warehouse in the state, but one target is Amazon. The company is the largest employer of warehouse employees in the country. Amazon workers have complained about the pressure to keep up with work rates and avoid being disciplined.
Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, said the bill was "based on a misunderstanding of our performance metrics. Amazon does not have fixed quotas at our facilities. Instead, we assess performance based on safe and achievable expectations and take into account time and tenure, peer performance and adherence to safe work practices."
Other Legal Rights
Under the new law, workers must be given copies of their quotas when changes are made. Employees also have the right to request their quota at any time, even after their employment ends.
Union Reaction
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union President Stuart Appelbaum said, "Warehouse facilities are popping up across New York at staggering numbers; Amazon alone has opened more than 70 facilities in the state, and over half of those facilities have been built since January 2021. At the same time, we have seen increased injury rates for warehouse workers. Due to extreme work quotas, warehouse workers have suffered heart attacks, strokes, repetitive motion injuries, and irreparable lifelong joint and back pain. Today, we've achieved a big win for workers' safety."
Union Organizing Efforts at Amazon
In October 2022, Amazon defeated a union vote—this time near Albany, N.Y.—following a successful union drive at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, N.Y., earlier in 2022.
After a grassroots union's victory over Amazon during a vote in Staten Island, N.Y., some tough decisions lie ahead for the company, including how it would respond to the conditions that allegedly led to the unionization vote. Safety, higher wages, more paid breaks and more vacation all were at issue.
(SHRM Online) and (SHRM Online)
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