Amazon apologises for wrongly denying drivers have to urinate in bottles

Amazon has apologised to a US politician for falsely denying that drivers are, at occasions, pressured to urinate in plastic bottles.

Mark Pocan, a Democrat from Wisconsin, referenced Amazon making “staff urinate in water bottles” in a tweet.

The official Amazon Twitter account then replied: “If that had been true, no one would work for us.”

The corporate has now apologised after proof emerged of drivers having to urinate in bottles.

“We owe an apology to Consultant Pocan,” Amazon mentioned in a press release.

“The tweet was incorrect. It didn’t ponder our giant driver inhabitants and as an alternative wrongly targeted solely on our fulfilment centres.”

It added that its fulfilment centres all have dozens of bogs that staff can use “at any time”.

Mr Pocan had criticised Amazon for opposing efforts by staff to unionise a serious facility in Alabama.

“Paying staff $15/hr would not make you a ‘progressive office’ if you union-bust & make staff urinate in water bottles,” he wrote final week.

Shortly afterwards, Amazon’s official account responded: “You do not actually imagine the peeing in bottles factor, do you? If that had been true, no one would work for us.”

A number of information shops then quoted quite a few Amazon staff who confirmed that they’d been left with little choice however to urinate in plastic bottles whereas working. In addition they described relentless working practices, each in its fulfilment centres and as supply drivers.

The Intercept additionally mentioned it had obtained inside paperwork suggesting that Amazon executives had been conscious of this occurring.

Amazon’s retraction added: “We all know that drivers can and do have bother discovering restrooms due to visitors or typically rural routes, and this has been particularly the case throughout Covid when many public restrooms have been closed.”

Story continues

It mentioned the issue was “a long-standing, industry-wide subject” and mentioned that they “wish to remedy it”.

Mr Pocan rejected the apology on Saturday, tweeting: “Sigh. This isn’t about me, that is about your staff – who you do not deal with with sufficient respect or dignity. Begin by acknowledging the insufficient working situations you have created for ALL your staff, then repair that for everybody and at last, allow them to unionise with out interference.”

Amazon staff in Bessemer, Alabama, voted in a historic ballot final week to resolve whether or not they wish to be represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Division Retailer Union. The hassle has been strongly opposed by Amazon.

The outcomes should not anticipated till subsequent week. In the event that they vote sure, it’s going to change into Amazon’s first US union.

Amazon has efficiently fought off union efforts elsewhere within the US. Nonetheless, most of its European services are unionised.