Warehouses: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

It’s easy to buy things online, and even easier not to think about how they get to you. John Oliver discusses what happens when you click “buy now.”
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[@KGillis]

Walmart Exec: "This guy saved us at least $30 million!" Boss at yearly review: "Best I can do is a 25 cent raise"

[@desmondbrown5508]

Dude, that's exactly the kind of shit that pissed me off. I worked at LabCorp and I was pushing record medical claims out the door. They were so impressed they had me attend a meeting to rework their "SOPs". I felt pretty good, then later that year we got our raise... I only got the normal 2% raise, and we had a nice meeting about them raising the standard requirements for filed claims per day. I've never felt so used and ashamed. Honestly, fuck LabCorp and fuck corporations.

[@Encysted]

Oh, look at Mr. 25¢ over here! What'd you do, give the sup "personal guidance"? My sup told me 1.2% was the "required minimum", but she didn't have a calculator on her, so she'd round it to 10¢.

[@suserman7775]

@@desmondbrown5508 Communist

[@ALCRAN2010]

$25 Million was money saved from injured workers NOT using any steps for the tall stuff...

[@vejymonsta3006]

@@desmondbrown5508 People don't get paid more for productivity. They get paid for years of service. Only executives and shareholders get paid for your productivity.

[@glennwelsh9784]

"It's back-breaking labor, and thank God I went to college." Meanwhile, a vast chunk of their warehouse employees are likely breaking their backs to pay off their massive student loan debt.

[@chaoznorder6207]

They all got degrees that end in the word "studies"

[@Lyaso]

@@chaoznorder6207 Great work on your use of reasoning there. Oh, wait. Never mind. Just more BS propaganda. You "free thinkers" never do anything but parrot talking points. Maybe you should try some of those "studies" you despise.

[@Lyaso]

@A Z How would you know, having obviously never been to one?

[@longtail4711]

@@chaoznorder6207 -- No. Their degrees are all over the place from tech and medicine to _x_ Studies. They are people competing with machines who didn't go to college but also don't get tired and raped of every penny they have from people like Bezos.

[@pipertipurts5211]

Yeah no shit. I went to college. I have a masters in one field, bachelors in another. I make 12.50/hour

[@EternalYorkieMom]

I wish there was a “Get it here whenever just don’t rush your staff” option when you check out. I’d feel better about that then paying for shipping

[@andiward7068]

They kinda do. Prime shipping is the default for Prime members but you can chose a slower delivery time. It unfortunately doesn't help if we don't ALL do it. Moving my package back a few days just bumps another 6+ into it's place. Lgr, if people didn't want everything as fast AND cheap as possible we'd go to the store and pick it up or order less expensive and wait a few days.

[@traditionalnative]

I agree this is a great idea, I feel like it's bare minimum feasible for smaller businesses to implement. I'm actually going to bring up this idea to my favorite small business owner.

[@samueldelatorre7752]

THANK YOU JON OLIVER!!!! I spent 8 years in warehouse jobs and the ironic part is after all those years I was interested in working for Amazon because they would pay me more than a company then a company that I worked with for 8 years driving trucks. Bottom line is we're grunts, the help, no one cares about us warehouse workers and it's disgusting we're the reason anything gets done for these companies. What I've learned is know your rights and don't ever be afraid to express them, take pride in yourself. They threaten to replace you when you put yourself first and that as well is disgusting I say warehouse workers and truckers need to band together and stand up for our rights as humans. Literally I could give a fuck less if that means stuff moves slower. I as well am in my early 20s and I feel like I'm 80 when I get home I can barely move,sleep, or eat because of the body pain I experience. Again thank you Jon Oliver, it feels good to finally hear some recognition from someone.

[@kingzach74]

I hope you can save the money you're making and work for Uber or Lyft.

[@MarceloRamos-uk8cd]

I hope you get a colege degree and can move your life around

[@stoodmuffinpersonal3144]

YOU SHOULD BE CARED ABOUT. Without you, there IS no warehouse. You should burn that place to the ground. No dildos until living wages and better working conditions. No AR15s or bear mace or whatever else they sell there until better working conditions

[@shdw787]

I recently saw an Amazon ad where a young kid says when they grow up, they want to be an Amazon delivery driver. It was one of the most depressing things I've seen.

[@THDTPSEvents]

Not everyone aspires to what you aspire to. Honestly, fuck you... let the kid do whatever he wants, I don't know his story and neither do you, you elitist.

[@PochamaRex]

Kemp Kennedy I don’t think it’s because they wanted to be a delivery driver. It’s not a bad occupation in itself. But the fact that Amazon consistently mistreats and underpays its workers and tries to cover up such abuse makes it really sad that they try to convince people working for them would be an enjoyable experience and not a harsh one

[@cristianvillanueva8782]

@@THDTPSEvents it was a shitty experience I'll tell you that, rual communities and ghettos were the worst that kid will relize its dumb

[@spongeintheshoe]

@@JS-nr2ld Still, the fact that such experiences occur at all, and even moreso, the fact that Amazon _allows_ those experiences to occur, should be concerning in and of itself.

[@spongeintheshoe]

@@JS-nr2ld But the higher-ups here have a training video based around preventing unions from forming, and they've apparently let a manager force people to step around the dead body of one of their coworkers and then lied to cover that person's ass.

[@georgemackintosh6247]

Also, Amazon didn't just up and raise the minimum wage out of the kindness of their hearts. They were forced to do so, and they fought to tooth and nail to avoid it.

[@alexj7440]

Bernie sanders got them that raise

[@georgemackintosh6247]

@@alexj7440 Damn straight, he did

[@metrognome197]

Also they're now using it as the excuse to be even bigger assholes to their employees. Don't get me wrong, hat's off to our hopeful future president for getting the workers a living wage, but fuck you Jeff Bezos for being such a huge piece of shit.

[@xandercorp6175]

You idiots, why do you think they are being pushed so hard? If you artificially force the wages higher than the market price, you have to work harder and give up benefits and sick days to make up the difference. Raising the wage was the worst thing for those workers who were willing to work for less and incapable of making the cut once the work got hard. Just look though the comments to hear office workers complaining about "huge 6ft tall guys just breezing through the warehouse"... it's almost like they're more built for the hard labour than you are. Imagine that. So thank Bernie for pushing you into a world of work you can't handle, and showing you just how insufficient you are.

[@telmobrito519]

@@xandercorp6175 " If you artificially force the wages higher than the market price, you have to work harder and give up benefits and sick days to make up the difference " See , that would make sense if the company did not earn far more money than used to pay employee . When your CEO gets 1+ billion$/year you dont fckin need ANY " making up the difference " for a fckin wage increase .

[@dachandewuffsteiger]

I worked for zappos an amazon company. They had a warehouse in Kentucky with no air-conditioning. They would "allow" employees to work in their underwear or bathing suits because of the sweltering conditions. They realized it was cheaper to hire 2 to 3 ambulances to hang outside the facility for when someone fell to heat exhaustion. Not IF, but WHEN. it was cheaper to pay to take a heat stroke employee off campus, dismiss them for failure to perform duties, and move on than to install appropriate chillers or reasonable breaks.

[@LaLisaUbdee]

Man that's crazy but living in USA is enough privilege in and of itself imagine what American companies are doing overseas we have it good over here in comparison. Secondly Amazon must have some good lawyers. And they know what they are doing cause it seems to be despite their BS they have loyal employees after getting promoted whatever check they are getting they would save the compaines tail in a second.

[@anthonysmith7787]

@@LaLisaUbdeebad is bad look at your situation not others that’s why nothing will change because people like u walk around saying atleast we have it good here. Bad is bad not. So if a little boy get touch and then a little girl get touch you tell the little girl hey don’t cry about it because atleast you weren’t a boy who got touch you crazy dude

[@ExploringTheTube-fd1oo]

@@LaLisaUbdee Um what? We don't need to speculate. We have data. The USA ranks one of the lowest in developed countries for safety and job satisfaction. I'm absolutely dead at "living in the USA is enough privilege. Americans are wild!

[@LarisaC.]

@@LaLisaUbdeeHOW is living in the USA a privilege? Asking as a European, because from this side of the pond, things on your end look miserable, not just the working conditions.

[@zarahbystrom3032]

Not loyal, desperate.

[@OmegaGuess]

"There's no requirements that we provide air conditioning" is possibly the most chilling way to both avoid and answer the question at the same time.

[@31webseries]

This is why people once fought so hard for labor unions that they were willing to risk everything.

[@a2pabmb2]

But the old fat white guy on muh tee-vee sez unions are SOCIALIZM!!1!

[@couragekarnga8735]

I guess we have to keep fighting.

[@cindy-ml7vo]

Unions are NOT socialist. They are private party agreements with other private parties.

[@sean3533]

No, the Democrat party used to be the party for workers, now it's the party for anything else.

[@13lood13ath]

The elite want to control you. This is why they are fighting to take unions away.

[@cedricjohnsonn]

12:00 Thank you so much for including me in this weekend segment! It means the world 🖤🤗

[@petertaylor4980]

@Evan Slager, did he actually say he got it? Or was that "you" in the generic sense of "whoever the slightly less unlucky person was"?

[@Flaubert]

Thanks for telling the truth

[@laurenburghard5507]

Lucky you! Sorry you had to deal with amazon's bullshit

[@MG-sn3fk]

Just wanna say...here's a internet hug *huggies*. Hope you see better days 💖

[@averagememeenjoyer7241]

I felt so glad for you. My prize was once a lollipop.

[@ukeyaoitrash2618]

This makes me VERY happy with my job. I am Dutch and work in a food warehouse - but a NORMAL one. We don't have rates/targets, we don't clock out for the bathroom, I walk around 10 kilometers so around 6-7 miles MAX a day, the working rate is relaxed, there is free food every day for lunch, I work 4 days a week monday-thursday 9-18, and after work I go home, cook myself, chill and do fun things for like 3 hours, and then sleep... ON A WORKDAY. I *ENJOY* my job. Of course, I can get off for anime conventions and such if I only get back on Monday I can get that day off. If I am sick I don't work and am paid. Warehouses CAN be great places to work like mine - if the company is a good one! And yes, my boss HATES amazon etc. We don't compete with them, but he just absolutely hates these kind of working conditions. We do order there in our private lives, because amazon working conditions are A *LOT* better in the Netherlands, but even then not as our first choice.

[@takeandbakejake3271]

So what are the requirements for a long term Dutch work visa? Just out of curiosity. No reason.

[@hannahw7023]

Damn, must be nice to live in a place where employees are still treated like people and not a resource to be exploited

[@armorhide406]

Wow living in a country with sane labor laws...

[@user-hc8oj8cv4f]

Okay, quick question: is TOEFL enough for me to be able to work in Netherlands, or should I learn Dutch? Edit: crap, I confused Dutchland and Denmark the second I lifted my eyes of the screen. Mea culpa.

[@JPKyle-ro3sn]

Good, I'm glad that you experience such good working conditions and enjoy your job, you're supposed to enjoy your job and have good conditions❤ ❤

[@BFancybones]

"Look, Amazon isn't the worst" That didn't age well lmao

[@nell1251]

@@aabc they also removed bonuses and stock options for their employees. Really a model company ;).

[@dottyjyoung]

Amazon has a promoted Tweet right now offering guided tours of the warehouses. Someone snarkily replied that North Korea offers guided tours too. ;)

[@JD-uj5cp]

Rhayne Lyte dude why is your essay everywhere. Tbh starting to think your a amazon bot or something. 😂

[@FlyingDwarfman]

@@JD-uj5cp That they were messing up basic facts about Amazon warehouse employment (specific facts I know from first and second-hand experience) as well as how to write percentages indicates to me that they're not some Amazon bot; but much more likely a paid troll who is near- or nonnative-fluent in English.

[@CuteAnimeGirl]

Reminder that Jeff Bezos has literally said he wants workers to come into work each day "afraid of losing their job" because that's what he thinks will motivate them the most. HE WANTS US TO BE AFRAID. We are so damn scared every single day we show up, that we have people who are starting to have panic attacks while at work, and one person actually attempted to jump off the railing in our building to commit suicide because of how stressed they were from this job. You guys don't even know how bad it is, because this video is just the tip of the iceberg. Amazon doesn't really talk about any of this, and most of this info will never get out to the public.

[@CuteAnimeGirl]

FUCKING BULLSHIT YOUR RATE WAS %300. Even our best picker at our warehouse managed a 250%, and that's a guy who literally runs in the warehouse and somehow doesn't get in trouble for it. BULL. SHIT. You are absolutely making this up, because that is literally and physically impossible to pick that fast, unless you're on a damn motorized scooter. STOP LYING. Either that or you started several years ago when rate was actually super easy and you weren't competing with your warehouse for rate, but you just needed a flat number to reach. Then maybe I'd believe you. When you're competing with 6 foot tall guys who zoom back and forth through the warehouse and the rate is set by highest achievers and averaged out, what you said is literally impossible.

[@teodoromagdaleno6325]

Fuck you Amazon lover

[@christylee-suzuki6772]

I think it’s worth mentioning that Amazon raised the minimum wage while cutting bonuses and stock options for their workers so many actually make less than before - they are not the model to follow.

[@spinningpeanut]

Christy Lee-Suzuki right? I was on a trip when the announcement hit but I was told that everyone booed the warehouse manager when he told everyone the good news. We we're already at 13.50 when you work donut days. I worked donut nights so I got $14. I was so angry we lost our bonuses.

[@blanco7726]

spinningpeanut do you work 40 a week?

[@Toxodos]

looks like someone didn't have his bear spray this morning

[@bryancouillard2016]

It's not just Amazon, either. Big retail across the board is doing whatever they can to increase their pay RATE without increasing their payROLL. It makes them look better to prospective employees who don't know any better. Bags of chips are more air than ever, candy bars cost the same as 20 years ago, but have steadily decreased in size slow enough for you not to notice, and retail jobs quietly cut benefits or hours every time they raise their minimum wage. Just corporations doing what they do.

[@theMosen]

What were the bonuses exactly?

[@Resurgam1985]

"Thank God I went to college!" BA and MA here. All I managed to do in the US was customer service. I managed to start my own business by... leaving the US. And yes, I'm aware of how very lucky I am to be able to do that.

[@michealhuff2299]

“I’m glad I went to college.” 🤣🤣🤣😂😅know someone who just got their second masters degree and even more recently accepted a position in an Amazon warehouse for $18.50 an hour. She’s moving to nowhere in the midwest to do it.

[@peggyhewitt3431]

Tell your second masters friend that Florida needs teachers…

[@penname8441]

+

[@michaelstevens230]

2 masters and they work in a warehouse. That's on them. They had money to waste on two big ass degrees they should have learned about the work force they were studying for

[@ryanarchuleta6231]

@@michaelstevens230 Yeah man, but the thing is people who work at Walmart and shit like that are told "Well it's your fault for not going to college." It's like people are damned if they do and damned if they don't. You can't always predict the job market. Look at the trades. When 2008 happened tons of tradesmen were out of work because there was like zero new construction.

[@michaelstevens230]

@ryanarchuleta6231 it's really not. Do you know what amount of time and thought goes into getting not one but two masters. And you aren't even a supervisor at that warehouse? Someone is either lying to make the point look better or I'm sorry someone made a choice and it was a poor one.

[@CHamlin86]

Those two Walmart employees saved the company $30 million that year... and I guarantee you they didn't seem a dime of it.

[@vejymonsta3006]

That was just a PR stunt to get more investors. I don't know how it could've worked. Stools are not innovative... lmao! Walmart is retarded.

[@machinenkanone9358]

But its great drunk bar story

[@aeonjoey]

of course not. of course not, it's retail. as someone who had a 15 year career in retail, yes front line, yes management, yes corporate... i had NOTHING to show for it when circuit city, and then radio shack went out of business. so what did i do? i got my ass to college, as a fucking adult among a bunch of teenagers. it was worth every fucking penny. SKIP my mistakes kids - don't work retail.

[@MrSchism]

@@vejymonsta3006 it's easy. The stool is about 1/4 the size of the previous one, allowing more boxes per shipment. Higher stock density means increased profit.

[@alessandrogambino420]

NOW YOU UNDERSTAND BUSINESSES. GOOD FOR YOU.

[@IceDragon289]

"It made me thank God that I went to college." I guarantee you, plenty of those warehouse workers have college degrees, and simply can't find work in their field.

[@evacornell1031]

I work in a warehouse (not amazon), that is true. Many others are immigrants who, in my country, at least cant get student loans making college completely out of the question

[@oreokitty333]

Yep, my partner has a master's in mechanical engineering from a "good school" and experience. Nobody's hiring for that in a pandemic. He's working a warehouse for the time being.

[@guillermocalle2184]

Preach. Same issue here. Had positions retract interviews because the pandemic forced them to close. So a customer Service job it was until things get better.

[@stoodmuffinpersonal3144]

it will be my fate, too. I'm sure of it. Nice knowing you.

[@NoOne-is2yr]

I guarantee you, plenty of people have dropped out of college because they couldn't keep up with their education while working at a place like Amazon that breaks their bodies on a daily basis.

[@coreydrew3228]

Hi everyone 👋🏻 I’d like to point out that this is the same atmosphere at usps sorting centers. While not as bad, we do regularly walk 15 miles/day, often work mandatory overtime, the turnover rate is incredible. Most of the jobs are working with machines and robots. We even have some of the automated vehicles that Amazon didn’t end up using.

[@RodneyG669]

As someone who's worked in warehousing for almost three decades Amazon is absolutely the worst place to work. Yeah they pay $15/hour now, but they also work people hard enough to cripple them permanently then they dump them. They don't care because as far as they're concerned there will always be more bodies to feed into the grinder.

[@Erinator9000]

My brother worked for Amazon once upon a time, he got fired for "using the restroom too often" and he had documented gallbladder problems. I'm so glad someone's talking about this.

[@matrixman8582]

Well maybe his gallblader problem interfered with productivity.

[@DriOXZ]

@@matrixman8582 Wouldn't want his numbers to drop

[@rachelschweitzer2965]

You wont believe the things ive witnessed !!! I quit last month, couldnt take it anymore. I wont say too much though, they keep deleting my comments !!!

[@danielcarbajal6574]

I work at amazon and I use the restroom very often.

[@Kuryux]

Did he try using a potty?

[@Xeonerable]

"We aren't anti-unions, we just value our shareholders and top earners more than everyone else."

[@markbrownner6565]

welcome to the new feudalism ...royalty / mercenaries / merchants / craftsmen / serfs.....

[@AD-cd1bx]

Shareholders always come first, and always will. If they don't make money then the business is gone.

[@Emeries40]

A D Stakeholders ought to come first. The community, the employees, and the shareholders should all be valued equally. Without any of the three, the business wouldn’t exist.

[@AD-cd1bx]

@@Emeries40 True, but we all know who the CEOs are beholden to.

[@michaelfixedsys7463]

@@markbrownner6565 feudalism was originally a fabrication, it's a shame that it came to fruition

[@voiceofreason2674]

My friends dad who is in his 50s lost his IT job and went to work at a Amazon center and they’re always giving him negative reviews and threatening “performance improvement plans” when he physically can’t keep up because of his age. It’s hung a shadow over their family.

[@sorenelesher6856]

I'm 20, and I worked in an AMAZ(on)ing warehouse when I was 19. I'm a cellist now with a chronic shoulder/back injury from that work. I worked in the shipping warehouse (not picking items, just sorting boxes off conveyors and then loading them onto trucks). I have horror stories/many complaints. They had no AC except a portable floor fan. We were not easily able to call out sick (including during COVID19) and I almost got fired after missing 2 days of work home sick with a fever, I had to meet with HR when I got back and work while I was still recovering from illness. That warehouse hires people to wear them down and fire them/have them quit. Shifts were 10-12 hours and you got in trouble for moving too slowly. we had the occasional employee yell and then leave/quit during the shift. During the pandemic, we were not allowed to do team lifting (we still did anyways if no one could see), but that meant that one person could have to lift over 50 pounds on their own. I'm no body builder, but I am an active guy. I did sports in middle and high school and I enjoy being fit. I was a skinny but active 19 year old guy just trying to make enough to pay for university. Most of the other employees were also working there because of the pay or because they couldn't get another job....not very many body builders. When I worked there I worked 2am to 1pm and all I did at home was eat dinner and pass out until I had to get up for work again. It was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. I saw other people get injured as well. I strongly encourage people not to work there, but I understand those who do have to because I have been there. This video is quite accurate.

[@stevenliang3213]

And here I thought I was sad getting rejected by Amazon for a financial analyst position. Can never support a company that treats their workers like shit. I hardly use my amazon account either. I’m glad you’re much better and wishing you well for your physical and mental recovery

[@Cohult]

In orientation, we watched an interview about Bezos, in which he said he quit his job on Wall Street because "Why am I working so hard to make someone else money?" My station's nearest bathroom was 6 minutes away, had to pick items every 12 seconds, and had knee problems before age 30. You didn't even joke about unionizing because they'd use the slightest infraction to fire you. We had someone die on his drive home during peak (60 hour weeks for 3 months) because of exhaustion and our managers took that opportunity to lecture us on getting enough rest. I'd drown that man in a clogged toilet given half a chance.

[@brandonm949]

The key to success is a complete lack of self-awareness, I guess.

[@anarchisttechsupport6644]

When America has its own Guillotine Moment? I'm going to relish this video, these comments, and yours in particular. Because that's where we're heading. Only, we're probably not gonna be so nice as to design an executioner's device to limit pain and suffering.

[@JustinHasTacos]

I remember that video. I thought it was cool when i first saw it. I feel the same as you

[@neku2741]

I am so glad I did my degree, all I have to do now is work to pay my student loans for the rest of my life.

[@imnamelessdude]

Your right to drown such a man friend lol. These jobs are turning people into heartless robot s

[@drewforchic9083]

16:17 "We're not anti-union, we're just [lists reasons why we're anti-union]"

[@noahplack9490]

Drew Forchic It’s such a crock of shit and I cant listen to this sterile, corporate defense of their own debauchery. Everyone who made that video should be poisoned

[@ChristopherTurcotte]

"We're not anti union, but..." "I'm not a racist, but..." "I'm not homophobic, but..." Generally speaking, if you have to precede what you are going to say with a qualifier, you are keenly aware that what comes next is, in fact, what you are saying it is not

[@katrinal353]

They're not even hiding it. The fact that they have to unironically argue against Unions, should illustrate the absurdity of late-stage capitalism.

[@Trezker]

We're not anti union, now we're gonna list all the people we care about. Please disregard that employees is not in that list.

[@craffaele]

We're not anti union, we're just not pro union nor neutral... you do the math! 😂😂

[@katystorandt2945]

"...they told me to definitely not say that so I'm not going to..." genius!

[@bettyoffdead]

Watching this while working at my warehouse job. Fun fact! We don't get breaks here! My boss told me to find time to eat while working. Which works out fine for the people who are in the offices and do paperwork all day, but for someone like me at the bottom of the ladder it means shoveling food into my mouth in the few seconds I have between making bundles and stacking pallets. That is, if I even get to eat at all :)

[@traditionalnative]

Depending on if you live in America, that's super illegal. I know bosses obviously do that kinda shit constantly, but fr, if you wanted to email me about me making an anonymous tip to the labor department that "a friend doesn't get breaks" that's actually a big enough violation that an anonymous tipster with no dog in the fight might at least draw an eye to this? I know it's a long shot. I'm sorry you're going through this, fr. Solidarity from the Lakȟóta Nation ✊🏽

[@verde7595]

@@traditionalnative Unfortunately if you don't have video evidence of this happening there's not much you can do. The company will get bigger and better lawyers than you can dream of having and even if the case gets thrown out you'll be ruined with court fees. It's happened to me with a corporation and again with a landlord. And even if you did have video evidence, it's often illegal to film without consent on private property like that so you'll be punished anyway.

[@AssBlasster]

JFC I always got a 30 minute lunch with some compensation or free lunch when working at restaurants in Florida. Now I'm in Cali and they FORCE every worker to take a 30 minute unpaid lunch after 5 hrs of work.

[@blahara]

As a former Amazon employee the one thing I will say, do not EVER buy food from them if it is not specifically through Amazon Fresh. They have no issue storing your bag of Doritos next to a leaking bottle of insectide.

[@milthy3781]

My favorite flavor

[@dannytourigny9403]

Thanks for the heads up.

[@lukeleo9700]

Try going to work at a seafood wearhouse full of illegals ... The condition are horrible

[@milthy3781]

@@lukeleo9700 its not a competition

[@lukeleo9700]

@@milthy3781 it's not lol but you guys have it good compared to the third world country wearhouses ... You guys complaint about minor issues

[@ahmedshaharyarejaz9886]

Whenever a corporation makes a needlessly happy, corny and odd ad about employee work conditions just know that something shady is going on over there.

[@MrOzzification]

Its got that whole "patting ourselves on the back for basic human decency" thing going on. Celebrating something that should be a given anyway is always concerning

[@steviewonderisnotblind5833]

Dystopia, baby.

[@KeithOcean]

#UBER

[@thedatatreader]

Good ol' Joycamps

[@manuelriveros2911]

Fucking on point.

[@misspinkelf]

Anyone notice the black guy wasn’t fazed by bear mace, implying he’s been maxed enough to build an immunity?

[@jenniferpatterson4964]

Um, that’s Tarik from The Amber Ruffin Show (an actor and comedian) and there was no real bear repellent used. That last clip was satirical, so none of that was real, only a commentary on reality.

[@misspinkelf]

Yeah. I’m aware it’s satire.

[@barbarahecht4617]

There's an Amazon Fulfillment Center in my area, and during Covid-19 in 2020, the workers complained that they did little to nothing to conform to health and safety policies which would have kept the employees a little safer with regard to catching and passing the virus.

[@llKorperll]

I remember my time at Amazon, it was during Prime Week... I'm in my 30's and I'm built pretty well, I thrive in terrible working conditions having done yard work my whole life in the desert heat. It's a hell of an experience in those warehouses. Because of my size they would put me where all the big shit is, I never complained, and I killed my rate regularly. Going to the bathroom is a bit more tricky than what was described in Jon's video. Suddenly get that feeling that I gotta take a shit, I go into overdrive and stock everything in my cage fast and correctly, then grab another cage and do the same to ensure I've padded my rate for the hour so I CAN go take a shit. Head to the bathroom I know that doesn't get much traffic, get to a stall, and go to drop a deuce, yet I can't relax. It's like that fight or flight mode when you're working in an Amazon warehouse, so much pressure from making rate, can't goto the bathroom even though I have to go. Myself and the other warehouse associates would joke about that constantly, and if someone came back from the bathroom successfully we would cheer out for the freedom of their bowls. You could be in that situation, can't shit because of the anxiety of the pace, then just pull your pants back up and get back to work, and 15 mins later a Manager would come up to you telling you got selected for VTO(Voluntary Time Off(Unpaid)) And you'd take it in a heartbeat, and funnily enough, the second you clock out of that bitch, the pressure is gone, and your body is like, HEY YOU CAN SHIT IN PEACE HOMEY! And you shit, and life's good, til the next day and you repeat the process all over again. The moment I realized I hated working there was when one of those performance people came down to tell me about my rate. They told me usually people plateau at some point, and I'm well over the required rate expectation, but I'm actually continuing to get faster every week. It wasn't a gradual increase either, I was killing it, improving my rate by 5 and 7 points each week. I was excited to hear that, but then they told me that by doing that I increase the average of the rate in that area. It hit me quickly and I asked, "So by me increasing my rate, I'm fucking my coworkers?" And they nodded yes, and added that if I get to high, they will lock me in my own average, and I could get fired by not killing it everyday too. Fuck Amazon! Oh and when they increased the wage to $15, they took their existing associates stock options away. Amazon is abusing some of the coolest, chillest people I've ever met, Fuck you Amazon. Glad I don't work there anymore.

[@citytianyu]

Shoot. They didn't award you for your efficiency increase but actually punish you or other workers. That just doesn't sound intelligence.

[@Michyyy0210]

L4ndless word I wish they could've used more of my KZbin video in there but you know Amazon be threatening news reporters if they reveal too much

[@Sam-bm6yf]

My, my, I WISH I could afford to buy elsewhere. I'm sorry.

[@SneedyKetler]

ItsMichy it’s you from the video! TY for being a part of this. It’s good to hear from voices that were on the frontline.

[@LilChuunosuke]

The speed thing is definitely not just an Amazon thing. I work for Peapod. We are timed based on UPH, which stands for Units Per Hour. They take the average or median (idk which) speed which people perform at and make that our goal. A major problem with that is that not only does everyone operate at different speeds, but your UPH can also depend on what's in your order. If your order only has like 30 items and someone bought like 10 cans of corn, your UPH might be something like 300. But if you got a ton of 12 packs, gallons of water, cat litter, etc., it might be more like 150. Worst part is that our bosses don't tell people that's what our time is based on, so some kids will literally throw items into their totes, sometimes organizing it later, so they can hit their expected time, not realizing that doing that actually helps make our expected UPH higher. I work quickly and efficiently, but still average around 80-85% because of this.

[@athuldomichen1192]

I worked at an Amazon warehouse for two months last year and it was the absolute worst, most depressing time of my entire life. I decided I've had it when one day everyone was already packing superfast and a 'supervisor' comes behind us and says "Faster! Faster!" The only thing she was missing was a whip, I thought. Never again. Ever.

[@athuldomichen1192]

@K K I can relate to that

[@israelvasquez1652]

Its hard to see that this is the new form of slavery. Rich assholes like Bezzos making millions off of people's misery.

[@elizabetholiviaclark]

@@seanl764 So, screw the people who are the subject of this video? They didn't finish college, so who cares if they're mistreated?

[@seanl764]

@@elizabetholiviaclark Na, it just means that they didn't put in as much hard work as other people early on in life. Having a high income is pretty common if you are in the right business with the right skills. Top 1% of households in the USA has net worth of 10 million or up, top 10% have net worth of $1 million and up. It's pretty easy to be a millionaire in this day and age.

[@whitneyr6182]

@@seanl764 hahahahahahahah

[@towermoss]

I had a college degree and worked at Amazon because I couldn't find a job in my field. I went back to school, and after 1.5 years, my body was destroyed. I had to work with one arm and they didn't care. Then I caught them coming behind me and sabotaging my work so they could put points against me because they needed a reason to fire me. Then my mom died from ALS and I had to fight with them to get some time off. Afterward HR told me I had to pick between school and my job. I made my decision. Bonus fact: Amazon officially refers to warehouses without robots as "legacy warehouses".

[@TheSkubna]

I worked for whole foods (amazon), it was a refrigerated building and i worked too hard, and injured my neck/shoulder. By the time Sedgwick got me my paperwork, it was "too late" and then i just lost my job. I was called in, which was an hour and a half drive one way with extreme pain holding using my hands, to show up and be informed i was fired.

[@Wolvilax]

"I am glad I went to college" does he know how many people whit college degree working in this type of places?

[@floridamann1109]

This. Had a roommate that had a masters in marketing and he couldn't get a job paying above 13 an hour, and that was after working for a company for 3 years

[@Rox123ify]

I know at least I do so that's one

[@EmilioFigueroa]

Several personally.

[@senortaco3563]

Facts.

[@ConstantChaos1]

After all the exercises and shit they do they should look at working as an EMT. It's a bit harder and a bit more dangerous but its 100000% worth it and it only takes a semester to get certified lmao

[@NewMessage]

This upload was obviously not delivered by Amazon Prime.

[@lynnisawitch]

😂😂😂 someone took an unauthorized pee break

[@life9000]

also not hulu!

[@ambermilligan6336]

No shit Sherlock.

[@CBielski87]

yeah seent the full episode uploaded like 8 hours ago already

[@rsand2009]

Hah.

[@jackadams3878]

"i really think a union would - " *BEAR SPRAY* "OH JESUS CHRIST!" XD

[@fabsmaster5309]

They aren’t called “fulfillment centers” because they’re supposed to be fulfilling, happy places where you find your life’s purpose. “Fulfillment” is a shipping term, as in you got your order fulfilled.

[@BearTheGrudge]

He knows that. It was wordplay

[@Jayfeatherchan]

As a former Amazon employee I can confirm the accuracy of this. Although I do get a bit annoyed when the media praises Amazon for their $15 minimum wage without acknowledging the fact that Amazon used to give their employees stock in the company and had a monthly bonus program. Both of which were ended when the $15 minimum wage was announced. I remember the GM at my location struggling to explain why one had to replace the other and we couldn’t have both.

[@xXxCLEMSONxXx]

Lol dems don’t realize that money has to come from somewhere

[@DeosPraetorian]

@@xXxCLEMSONxXx k then

[@dnhook]

Then get off your lazy ass, go start a company and pay $20/hour. Hell, pay them $50/hour since you're so generous.

[@DeosPraetorian]

@@xXxCLEMSONxXx repubs dont realize that tax breaks for the rich dont work

[@bonelegged]

Avery Brock leave the conversation to the grownups :)

[@LaxAndWatch844]

Amazon didn't increase minimum wage out of the kindness of their hearts.. people had to organize.

[@coletrickle1775]

Bernie Sanders and Ro Khana did a lot of work for it.

[@kendralewellyn2654]

Not to mention, that they raised minimum wage....while cutting bonuses or other benefits. So, all they did was find a way to rename something, move it around, and potentially give workers the same or less. It's just misdirection. Without unions, basically any "new trick" is totally legal and on the table. Whatever it takes if it means maximizing profits and optimizing operations on a large scale. All the while, losing sight that HUMANS are small scale (esp. individually), and that humans matter. Companies just don't answer to us or their local communities anymore. And when blowing up companies to that large of scale, there are a lot of details that can get lost...or that can stay hidden. Terrifying...

[@brianthinkeventsllc5776]

15$ minimum wage enforced on the country will be a bad thing. The winners are companies that are not weighed down by labor costs, Jeff Bezos (CEO of Amazon) said of that move : " I challenge our top retail competitors to match our employee benefits and our $15 minimum wage.” Amazon advocates for the minimum wage because they know it bleeds their competitors dry. Retail companies like Target, Costco and Walmart, which collectively hire more than 2% of the American population, struggle to compete without laying off their employees or automating away jobs. For a single individual who currently makes $10/hr, working 40 hr/week at 50 weeks a year, increasing the minimum wage to $15 will increase their gross income $10,000. 6.2% of this, or $620, will go to FICA tax. Another 1.45%, or $145, will go to Medicare tax. Another 11.6%, or $1169.50, will go to federal income tax ($30,000 - $12,000 standard deduction = $18,000. First $9525 taxed at 10%, next $8475 taxed at 12%. $8475 * .12 + $1525 * .10 = $1169.50). Under Bernie Sander's plan, an addition 2.2% or $220 will go to Medicare for All. This leaves $7845.50 per year, or about $650/month, ignoring state income taxes. Under Yang? +12,000$ that is non-taxable and is not used to increase your tax brackets. UBI > 15$minimum wage everyday.

[@likeherod27x9]

@@brianthinkeventsllc5776 one day robots will be spewing libertarian bullshit in comment sections and you'll be out of a pretend job

[@IncognitoSprax]

McZawa This is beyond stupid

[@yamnayaseed356]

20:29 Jackie is literally how the average Amazonian feels on the job (that includes corporate staff). Same vibes. This is a company with an evil heart.

[@Prizzlesticks]

I was here like, "Wow, this episode released early tonight," then got all the way to the end feeling severe deja vu, only to realise... Ooooh. I watched this two and a half years ago, and it remains entirely relevant.

[@JustMe-vk4fn]

The Amazon driver who broke down on my front porch, crying, last year was all the proof I needed to see how "great" Amazon is for workers in the United States. She had made 140 deliveries before she reached my house. As she walked across the porch around 4:00 pm , I saw tears streaming down her face. I asked if she'd take a seat on the porch with me for a minute or two to collect herself before going on her way and she did. This is what I learned about one Amazon employee's life: She makes $15.00 per hour. She loads her delivery van herself in the morning. Lunch is eating a sandwich at the wheel. After the 140th delivery she made to me, she had eighty two more to go before she would be "allowed" to turn in the delivery van and go home. No breaks. No overtime pay. After she left, out of curiosity, I looked up the normal daily package delivery rate for UPS drivers and the number was: 82. Per Day. How much do UPS drivers make? There's a link below. Compare for yourself. I'll go get that toilet paper on my own from now on. www.truckdriverssalary.com/ups-driver-salary/

[@faber3969]

congrats now she lost her job

[@ZeStreD]

@@faber3969 She's probably better off without it to be honest.

[@faber3969]

@@ZeStreD I wonder if she'll feel the same when she's out on the streets

[@faber3969]

@kkaradin That's not what I meant. She said "I'll go get that toilet paper on my own from now on" when all that would really do is jeopardize the deliver person's employment.

[@TMears87]

82 stops per day??? lol not even close. I average 200 stops a day and pay rate is about $37 per hour.

[@ams7722]

I've been a manager/director in warehousing for 15 years, I've literally never had an OSHA inspector visit one of my sites. The issue isn't just laws, it's regulation to enforce those laws. In the case of places like Amazon, they can also easily afford any fine levied against them.

[@PappyMandarine]

Tell us more about your experience, man. I'm especially interested in the pressure you had from above to implement rules & guidelines that end up giving the result seen in this video.

[@jeremysiegel2961]

They tell our company that they're coming. Everything runs extra slow during the inspections. What's the point?

[@rakeldanell]

Y'all had a Gatorade machine?!

[@helenbobo1948]

Aren't repubs trying to cut out OSHA?

[@MrStone125]

Theyll make your life shit, I hope you realize that.

[@danlaleman5733]

In pontoon beach, Illinois, in the metro east area outside of St. Louis, where I used to live, there was an Amazon warehouse that was struck by a tornado, with reports of workers being told to keep working even though there was a tornado warning in the area

[@shannoncook1108]

thank you i love your subject matter and you steadfast ability to keep us in touch with our sanity. so appreciated.

[@brendancolliander4438]

I worked for Amazon warehouse and we didn't walk we ran to get packages with a cart...

[@Rainaman-]

You guys should do long distance marathons and get the prize money!

[@brendancolliander4438]

@@Rainaman- I wish

[@newsnk3679]

Why don't the use scooters for the work?

[@themexis]

@@newsnk3679 or segues.

[@forthesakeofsanityandsuch9331]

Yup my friend did too, this is so true. They make you run or you get in trouble for not making time

[@kcskoolz8312]

I worked at a CFC (customer fulfillment center) aka Giant Warehouse called MSC Industrial Supply for 5 years. Watching this...its pretty spot on. They time your every move. I walked about 13-15 miles a day.

[@fosstera]

that XPOLogistics warehouse that got dangerously hot reminded me of the time i passed out from high heat in the warehouse of a juice bottling plant. fortunately for me, the company, my equipment, and the products, there was nobody around, and it happened after i'd already parked and dropped off my payload. i was about to switch into reverse to back out of the row, and the next thing i knew the horn on my forklift was blaring and my face hurt i worked the night shift. i have no idea how hot it got during the day, but it was at least 110 F in the coolest places of the warehouse that werent actively cooled. we werent allowed to put fans on our forklifts because of the possibility that someone who doesnt have a fan would get jealous and make a complaint. additionally, products have a tendency to... ya know... overpressurize. we'd lose entire pallets of perfectly good juice because it was so hot the air inside the container expanded and broke the containers, collapsing the pallet(s). apparently that, plus risking crashes from fainting drivers, is cheaper than installing even basic air conditioning like fans pulling the hot air out of the buildings at a sufficient rate i lost track of how often i had to park my forklift in the drive-in cooler to cool off its battery in the summer. poor thing would start overheating 10 minutes into my shift, and require a mandatory cool down less than 30 minutes later.

[@wint222]

The raise to $15 isn’t a raise. They took away stocks, changed the yearly raise structure, and took away VCP, which was a percentage given to employees every month for not using unpaid time. It cancels out really.

[@healthymealthy775]

Unfortunately, most people are unaware of that. But what you said is true.

[@JeffreyBoles]

Holy shit, didn't know that

[@ekdaufin1485]

John should have said that too. Wow.

[@flare78x31]

Walmart warehouses pay up to $25hr

[@cdomz3]

Nobody ever mentions this its Crazy.

[@LordBitememan]

I'm in warehousing (not Amazon). Please dear God let Amazon unionize. The harder they grind their employees the harder the rest of us have to grind just to compete.

[@crunchyfresco]

LordBitememan I work for another warehouse. I walk a lot but not as much as them 😞 we do have to do certain amount per day and stand all the time. My feet hurt and my arms. I been trying to find a "better job" but i dont get call back. So i stay at this job.

[@UnluckyGambler]

@@crunchyfresco vote for yang, get free $1000/mo., and quit that job.

[@thagooeyjuice]

Worked at a Walmart warehouse for years, it is atrocious.

[@johhnnn]

@@UnluckyGambler this hurts to read.

[@msfair3625]

My husband, too. He comes home like a zombie & he has to wear a Dickies uniform in 100° heat in a metal warehouse. It's such bullshit.

[@cdunlap0008]

Working in a local warehouse a couple years ago, I was logging 26 miles a day of walking. 8 hours of essentially non stop walking, sometimes running. Horrible. And the heat was topping 100° daily

[@LaLisaUbdee]

And yet I'm still fat 😭

[@69TheGG]

John Oliver for president he is amazing

[@WhatsYourDadSnap]

I worked in an Amazon fulfillment center for 5 months.... I can say everything he says is so true!

[@mark-jensbarton8363]

@luke wilson Boy, you sure solved all labour problems! Look at you go!

[@wickedblackheart26]

luke wilson like it is so easy to find a job

[@randomdude1191]

@luke wilson You tell him to stop complaining and get another job. He does that, now someone else fills that job. You tell that person the same thing and the replacement after that. Your advice doesn't change anything beyond an individual level, the shitty job still exists and needs to exist for you to have nice things, there's just different faces fulfilling it.

[@dudewtf1776]

@luke wilson Wow you just solved one of the most difficult employment problems of our generation. I can't wait to hear your solution for world hunger!!!?? "Luke Wilson: Just eat"

[@AbsentWithoutLeaving]

@@randomdude1191 - Some jobs are meant to be an intro into a particular company's culture, and are not meant to be careers. You're expected to do your time and then move up the food chain. Anybody who stays at a certain position and does not choose to advance gets written off.

[@KashWill9]

I know an older woman who was fired for getting water outside of her break, she was a "scanner". Don't get me started with Amazon, I quit once they told us at a "ALL HANDS MEETING" that the company's Gatorade machine was being removed since it was no longer in our fulfillment's budget.... then immediately wanted us to celebrate Jeff Bozo buying the Washington Post. I walked straight out.

[@PamelaKopp]

Pity you didn't start a fire before leaving...

[@XiaoGuanYin104]

@@PamelaKopp people would have died.

[@pleasuretokill]

At least they wouldn't have had to slave for Amazon anymore. Rather be dead!

[@pleasuretokill]

I just quit my slave job after doing that type of work for 25 years. Exaggerating? No. Being a slave is a terrible way to live and make no mistake companies like Amazon pay slave labor wages and work you to death. So, no. Not one ounce of exaggeration. I would rather be dead than go back to my slave labor job. I am now debt free and have my own small online business. I don't care if I'm broke, I will never go back to being someone elses slave. I would rather live under an underpass or eat a bullet.

[@KM-je6bf]

@@pleasuretokill you worked 25 years as a warehouse associate? It's no ones fault but your own that you arent intelligent enough to do anything other than "move box from point A to point B"

[@ashtea96]

The "even if you were thirsty" got me

[@mohammad-joudsharafeddine4366]

LastWeekTonight is really the single-most interesting spectacle of information. Anything they do is just bent to be good. No other place do I see a title and thumbnail "Warehouses" and then click, confidently knowing that I'm in for a ride

[@itsascendingfr]

Facts

[@Hymnalysis]

I'm a veteran of Amazon manual picking. This video is quite accurate.

[@KageKitsune64]

Thank you for your service. 🇺🇸

[@Fire-Manz]

My god, I'm a garbageman and I lift things by the TONS! You guys shouldn't be that tired and hurt without a union.

[@tinahesse186]

@@Fire-Manz Working at Amazon is very tiring. It's hard work.

[@dwaynejones1555]

Hymnalysis no wonder why Jeff is so rich.

[@joelshack85]

Elitism = first world bitches complaining about first world work environments

[@Marsbert]

Hot damn, I worked for Amazon for 6 years as a picker and watching this brought back nightmares

[@TJMizu]

Marsbert holy shit!! How did you last that long? Hopefully you’re in a much better place now.

[@nicoleauroux]

@@TJMizu LOL, like heaven? Yeah, death sounds better.

[@Omnorimli]

how accurate was this?

[@davearreola2016]

Heaven awaits you you've served your time hell..

[@sergeantsmiley6897]

@@Omnorimli I worked at amazon too and can say its very accurate

[@vonakenyon7981]

When I first saw this show it was the beginning of the pandemic so ordering while at home was important to me. It is stupid that their people have to work in such conditions. I never need anything I order immediately. Most people don't. All they need to do is add a small discount if the customer is willing to wait 4-5 days I bet most would be fine with that.

[@RayRaeTV]

This is why I'm happy to be with the company I'm with. My delivery job actually cares about its employees.

[@wadebrasher4832]

As a former Amazon Warehouse employee, this hits hard. I worked in the Outbound Shipping docks, basically loading the packages in the trucks for departure. First off, it was a $10/hr. wage for a 10 hour shift. At the beginning of the shift, we were assigned a section of the dock to "look over". Essentially that meant that we were in charge of a certain amount of doors being loaded. I don't think I ever once saw a step stool, even though they told us they were around. Granted, I'm 6'2" so I didn't need them but I was the outlier. Most of my coworkers were under 5'8", and were constantly condemned for not loading the packages in the trucks high enough. After Thanksgiving, we entered the "peak season", meaning it's a time of high demand and product output. This is the time when part-time and seasonal employees were brought in, and even that didn't seem to be enough. The way the trucks were loaded were via conveyor belts that would feed from the upstairs picking and packing area down into the trucks themselves, with us in the truck stacking packages tightly and neatly in the truck. What happens when a metric fuckton of packages came down at once? Well the conveyor would get backed up, and it would shut down the entire conveyor system upstairs, and a blue siren would flash on the conveyor belt, signaling that it was the belt that was backed up. Once that happened, all hell broke loose. Our supervisors would come over screaming and hollering that we were not loading the trucks fast enough, causing the belt to back up in the first place. How fast were we moving? As fast as we possibly could, of course. But it wasn't enough, and pretty much every belt would back up at least 10 times a shift, conservatively. Not only on top of that, I specifically was in charge of running up and down the docks helping fix the "blue light situation" as they called it. I was literally RUNNING up and down a football field length stretch of warehouse all day working my butt off trying to load up the trucks so they wouldn't shut down production. And what was my reward? Not getting reprimanded at the end of my shift. The worst part was after Christmas, when the peak season was over. They terminated all the seasonal and part time employees, some of which were promised full time employment after the season was over, along with some full time employees that were not productive enough for their standards. That left us survivors with only a bare-bones crew to handle a whole ship-dock, and that crew was about 10 people. TEN FOR ABOUT 20 DOORS OR SO! So naturally we were RUNNING around even more than we were during the peak season. All that coupled with the laughable vacation hours (we gained 15 MINUTES of vacation time every pay period) was enough for me to say adios to Amazon. #noregrets

[@sierrarobinson9893]

Wade Brasher So fucking spot on, I would have guessed we worked at the same warehouse. Something tells me we probably didn't, though. We've been hiring seasonals again for prime day (week) and more than half of every new group of people quit within a couple weeks. We really aren't gonna have enough people in time at this point, can't wait for the absolute shit show

[@GatlinShot]

holy shit 15 minutes you have got to be fucking kidding me. Somebody gotta stop Amazon from being this blatantly insane

[@rachelwillaman4964]

You really spent 20 minutes writing this lmao u have no life

[@gwall4603]

That’s a fucked up trip report.

[@Dylan-fd5fd]

@@rachelwillaman4964 you must be a manager or lead at Amazon.

[@burntpieceoftoast4148]

Lol, John pissed off Amazon so much they had to make a statement regarding this episode. Nice. 🤣🤣

[@alejandrogalvan7519]

burntpiece oftoast can you share a link please

[@Marethyu311]

NICE!!!!!!!

[@RedeyeRaccoon]

I went ahead and found the link for - burntpiece oftoast - it's from Variety Magazine's website... variety.com/2019/digital/news/amazon-john-oliver-hbo-segment-on-warehouse-conditions-1203257834/ I love how powerful Last Week Tonight is on their reportings. However there is two sides to every story. Amazon goes into detail how they're a huge fan of the show but they're little disappointed that LWT didn't reach out to them more before airing this segment. In my opinion, yes Amazon employees need to unionize.

[@666Tomato666]

@@RedeyeRaccoon "disappointed that LWT didn't reach out to them more before airing this segment" translation: this little ratface fucker didn't even allow us to send him a cease & desist letter!

[@borismuller86]

NOICE.

[@picklepirate]

I was traveling and wanted to pick a shipping date a day later, so I’ll be home when the package comes in. But, I thought it was wild that Amazon doesn’t let you schedule a later date.

[@Zemus1v]

This is the best show on the net

[@shapular]

Worked in an Amazon warehouse two different times, can confirm everything he said.

[@austinmcclain3001]

I can second that. It was awful.

[@GreenElfMom]

I am SO sorry you went through that! :(

[@trajer1535]

If my out of shape, fat ass can happily work there for 5 years, it can't be that bad. I felt more exhausted after working doubles at Panera Bread.

[@Floydfan47]

@@trajer1535 You're obviously a robot.

[@cathycrago2722]

@@Floydfan47 or a liar

[@justinberry6411]

I work at ups and I want to personally thank you for shedding a light on the ridiculous standards and work practices at these warehouses. It’s absurd

[@marshallc6885]

Justin Berry please dont use your real name friend, just delete this comment

[@cjfromgtasanadreas]

@@marshallc6885 he works at ups, not amazon

[@danielcadwell9812]

I work for Lineage Logistics and it isn't too bad at all.

[@richardsanchez9190]

@@marshallc6885 why not?

[@marshallc6885]

Richard Sanchez getting fired, i would get fired if my past employers saw me doing this even if it was legal or not. And to fight it would cost more money than he prob has

[@gedaman]

I once tried working in an Amazon warehouse in 2011. I lasted 3 days until I had enough and quit. One of my coworkers said he could only keep up the work with painkillers.

[@nancyhopkins389]

I worked a Christmas season at an Amazon warehouse as a picker. They are right. It was the worst job I've ever had. Ten hours walking on concrete, mind-numbingly boring work, brain dead managers and shin splints were just a few of the bad points. Being treated as a criminal every day by your employer was the icing on the shit cake.

[@goon303]

There is a solution to this.... FORM UNIONS. No matter what a company tells you, unions ALWAYS work. Look at every union that ever formed throughout history... They vastly improve working conditions, benefits, and pay. Companies rely on their ability to scare individual workers. "If you don't get your work done, you're fired." They love to be able to say that to people. But when you're in a union, the rest of the workers in the company stand with you. They cannot fire you nearly that easily, and they sure as hell can't threaten their employees. Unions turn the workers into a team, and that's why corporations have been fighting like hell by lobbying, and buying politicians to give corporations the ability to shut unions down. That's why it is so important for people to fight for unions and keep them alive. Never listen to a company that tells you "unions are bad". That's like listening to a cigarette company telling you smoking is "cool!"

[@irabbit_]

people do not realize that companies honestly, truly, would pay you nothing if they were allowed to. not just Amazon, every corporation out there. the only reason they dont is because unions. the only reason we have lunch breaks, minimum wage, ANY of that.... is all because of unions. as an individual, your actions mean nothing. as a collective, you can change the face of society.

[@justinfowler2857]

@Albert Wesker The problem is that everyone wants what unions earn, higher wages, safety, etc. They just don't want to pay for it. One must understand, "There's no such thing as a free lunch."

[@user-je7pp2wg3m]

Kroger sucks and they have a union. I prefer working for the Walmart corporation. I agree. I am pro union, but Kroger is a terrible company to work for. The store manager has too much power and is usually a phsychopath who terrorizes everyone all day long. The management at Kroger is plain mean, apathetic, and soulless. Walmart is more relaxed

[@z-beeblebrox]

@@user-je7pp2wg3m This leads into a connected problem which is that most modern unions have been so thoroughly undermined that many of them lack substantive power to stand up to the companies they're connected to. It's likely that the union under Kroger is not strong enough to successfully bargain for its members, and that was by design when it was formed. It's rarely enough for a union to merely exist, it needs good adoption and protections. Without those, non-union jobs can indeed look more appealing, further undermining the union. Unfortunately, both of those features are in short supply in America today.

[@marredcheese]

​@@irabbit_ You don't realize that workers honestly, truly would not work for free and without breaks and that companies need employees to function.

[@altamashmomin4030]

ahhh yes, now i can start my morning.

[@RayasNegroOvejas]

Altamash Momin I got recommended the whole episode that someone had uploaded when I went to youtube four hours ago ;)

[@robinsonjr.b.4197]

It's evening here

[@MrJimheeren]

Altamash Momin 8 hours late

[@Dave102693]

@@MrJimheeren facts

[@josephedwardsarena9487]

It's 5 in the afternoon here lol

[@liloiax22]

I love John Oliver's long-winded statements/rants... they're hilarious about 99% of the time haha

[@torip8576]

my mom was forced to get a job at amazon after my dad lost his job. She has a teaching degree and the only reason she's still working at amazon is because they pay so much more than teaching but she works 12am-12pm at least four days if not 6 days a week. If that doesn't sum up a lot of our country I don't know what does

[@PickledShark]

Apparently Amazon responded to this video, calling it “Insulting” No shit, Sherlock! That was the point

[@dknight248]

When someone shits on your porch, they *deserve* to be insulted. So yes, I'm glad Amazon found it insulting. They deserve to be insulted. Sometimes insults are justified.

[@raava5648]

I will say this though, and I swear to god I'm not a paid shill or whatever. I actually work for a new fullfilment center that opened up in 2016 and it's really not that bad. 30 minute lunch sucks and some pple can be retarded like any other job but it's not slave labor like John is trying to make it seem.

[@NGEvangeliman]

Its only insulting if it aint true.

[@patricklaowoo]

Amazon said they invited John Oliver to one of their Warehouse, and he refused to go. Oliver should've have went to experience all the actors Jeff hired to talk how much they love working for Amazon.

[@raava5648]

@@squigglenutsfosheegie1994 I sound like a PA saying that 30 minute lunch sucks? Did you read my comment? I'm not a PA or an ambassador but I am full-time blue badge. Like I said it's not the greatest job on earth but watching this video you'd think that people are monitored every second and if they slow down for a second they'll immediately get fired. I'm speaking from experience when I say that it's not like that. They will literally hire anyone, which means there's a bunch of old people with physical problems, people who are just generally slow and they haven't been fired. You can take your time, our facility actually doesn't have the timer counting you down so idk maybe those places are worse.

[@CollaborativeVODS]

Being "not the worst" slave owners is like being "not the worst" serial killer

[@ElderStatesman]

What's worse, John Oliver neglected to mention that Amazon's bragging about $15/hr is more awful than it sounds. A report from 2017 found that Amazon's $15/hr wage is 15% lower than the prevailing wage for other local warehouse companies. As a result of Amazon undercutting their wages, other warehouse companies have to lower their wages to compete.

[@CollaborativeVODS]

@@ElderStatesman Yeah the power of slavery allows companies to produce goods and insanely low rates and conquer their competition. Just like the Nazis in WW2 and their insane rates of production relative to scale.

[@CollaborativeVODS]

Fanboy away but it'll just hurt you in the long run

[@HowToChangeName]

@@ElderStatesman say that again after that awful warehouse worker who got covid please

[@blessedowo1958]

Doesn't matter had sex

[@user-lg1ji6vt7m]

Thank you And i thought I could not love my warehouse job anymore...... To die for 😁

[@salvagemonster3612]

Majority of the shipping warehouses in our area from Pepsi, to Ruan etc etc are paying starting wages between 18 - 23 dollars an hour.

[@TheNightquaker]

"I am glad I went to college", he said, as massive numbers of people work at Amazon to pay off their student loans.

[@solidandsoiled]

He probably meant I am glad I was born in a rich family with the financial backing and network to ensure that I am breed into high society and be paid many more times than I am actually worth because of my rich upbringing

[@Monochromicornicopia]

Most people who claim its too hard to find a job in their field of study are just too lazy to look outside of their homestate. You have to be willing to move out of state

[@TheNightquaker]

@@Monochromicornicopia First of all, for the Brotherhood of Nod! Second of all, is moving out of state really that necessary? Maybe there are specific states that are particularly... troubled when it comes to finding certain jobs?

[@thepaperwar00]

The cost of moving to a new state while paying off a mountain of student debt and living paycheck to paycheck would certainly make that difficult. Even if the job pays well, moving to a new location can sometimes be impossible, unless the new job pays for the cost of moving. Also, low-wage jobs are usually the most tiring. When you’re tired and poor and stressed from being tired and poor, moving out of state is usually not even a passing thought. People get stuck doing jobs they hate, because they have no energy left to get unstuck.

[@simplyincorrigible7708]

Loans or not, you need that degree. You're fucked if you don't have it.

[@hyperbeast9678]

I’m 4 years in Amazon , they took away our bonuses , when they decided to raise the minimum wage, and no longer give people stocks for completeing 2 years. I aslo got a write up for being at 99.9 percent , they told , me I needed to be at 100%. And not to mention that the trailers in arizona warehouses get to 120+ degrees, and they have no ac just bounce house style air blowers, and favoritisms is a pain cause process assistants put easy jobs to the people they like, I think of quitting everyday but I got bills to pay I’m 22

[@FlyingDoctorC]

HYPER BEAST any chance downgrade your lifestyle get a lower paying job that gives you time to skilled up or plan for better paying job?

[@youngsnuggle9915]

So glad i have a better job than u & im 23

[@hyperbeast9678]

@@youngsnuggle9915 good for you man. People grow up with different opportunities, glad your doing better than me , means 1 less person struggling my dude

[@hyperbeast9678]

@@FlyingDoctorC right now I'm just trying to work as much as I can to support my family I dont want my brother to struggle like how we did in the past growing up I want him to focus on school so he can be better than me hopefully later on when he done I'll start my career

[@VaughnesN]

Heart definitely goes out to you.

[@chrislive1586]

"Hug the box. Now kiss the box. I SAID KISS THE BOX, JACKIE!"

[@HeSheXie]

I live near an Amazon warehouse. Apparently the rule of thumb for hiring is anyone with a pulse, working them to death for three months until they quit, and find more bodies. I absolutely hate them.

[@ia6619]

Same goes for FedEx

[@raynekitten]

They hold huge hiring events near my house and then call back people as they go through the list. So you may interview in February but not get called until July. But when you are at the event doing the drug test and filling out all the info it makes you think you are days away from a job.

[@meevluv]

@@raynekitten Drug testing? wouldn't one have to be on drugs to do this job?

[@raynekitten]

@@meevluv basically. They drug test you and then hire you months later. So I assume a lot of people are.

[@zookr]

@@foobarmaximus3506 *Ibuprofen, all you want . . .

[@FloatingSunfish]

The people who forced their workers to keep working around their co-worker's dead body deserve to have their Human Being Licenses revoked.

[@BlueEyesWhiteTeddy]

@Zack Smith Nah, those managers need to be put down.

[@Rox123ify]

They already did. How do you think they moved up in that industry?

[@RpiesSPIES]

They'd be fired from the building and lose their income/insurance. Don't blame the floor associates.

[@ems3991]

Uh how were they forced? Slavery is illegal.

[@juch3]

@@RpiesSPIES when your job security is more important than a human life

[@MegaDude531]

The SLAM line while holding the laptop took me back to my controls days at Amazon! So glad I left that place lol

[@MaxwellRodgers]

a pure gift to the universe John is

[@XCHDragox115]

I’d say, screw Area 51. Let’s raid an Amazon warehouse. At least we could give those workers a well deserved break with this distraction.

[@shadowslayer205]

You'd all die of heatstroke, bear mace poisoning and cholera the moment you walk in the front door, and the workers would be ordered to continue working over your dead bodies.

[@We_Want_It_All]

@@shadowslayer205 😅😅😅

[@aperturemichelle]

look in to Cabin Creek and Paint Creek strike of 1912-1913,thanks to the nra i'm sure there employes can find everything on the shelves to use or is stealing from the employer too much?

[@nihal581]

Nice try,FBI

[@seanl764]

You do know amazon pays more than any other employer for equally entry level low skill manual labor jobs right? The other highest paying company is Costco at $13 minimum an hour, and amazon already pays $15 minimum. They are also the only company that pays bonuses in stock options to entry level warehouse employees. Amazon pays their employees more so that they have an excuse to work them hard, they have no shortage of people trying to be hired due to having the highest wages around. You libtard commies need to do more research before believing anything you hear from the fake news crybabies. There is a reason amazon has no shortage of workers you know... Because they pay the highest wages around...

[@alexandertownsend3291]

"That just sounds like slavery with extra steps." - Morty Smith

[@corbeau-_-]

our functioning economy basically is just that. We're all running around powering the battery of upper society... They don't have to lift a finger - exempified by college guy in the beginning. I've worked for a German distributor (3 letters) - it is a hard job and it doesn't pay well. But, you don't need any education and the job itself is quite steady... You can make many hours. I've also seen the 50-60 year olds working there. It's basically not a job for them... You need to be very fit. The job demands constant lifting and walking, the contract is pretty clear about that, it is the nature of the job... It is what it is, I suppose we should be happy there are still jobs... Like with the battery, we better keep serving a purpose... Robots and automisation will make us, the ones who power the battery, obsolete. I'd rather have slavery with some steps, than no future at all. Like the battery universe... Quite a fitting metaphor of how we're basically screwed. Our world is maintained and guarded by the upper layers of society. Yin and yang... 'Peace among worlds' as we flip the finger to one another.

[@alynames7171]

Except that in the real world, the elites can't just toss the battery and install a new one like Rick, so we have actual leverage. And of course, that's completely sidestepping the complex moral argument of, umm, slavery is bad. To quote Charlie Chaplin in a nearly hundred-year-old movie: "Greed has poisoned men's souls... We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without them life will be violent, and all will be lost."

[@cykasoviet4604]

@@alynames7171 wow didn't know charlie said that, thats an awesome quote/speech.

[@devforfun5618]

@@cykasoviet4604 also his first quote in a movie, as he only speaks fake german through out the movie until the end and in a previous movie he only sang in gibberish

[@patrickiamonfire965]

@@corbeau-_- machinery hasn’t made us obsolete. It did produce more jobs. It’s just that the loud minority (elites) can shift it easily. Turns out the more you have the more leverage you display. Humans always has the ability to adapt to new conditions. It’s just that it requires creativity and problem solving skills which lots of schools don’t focus on. While gaining knowledge is useful but knowing how to apply them is far important. They are people who just doesn’t want things to change and might convince others to follow it. It’s like this you have high amount of power and money and than you see someone made something that changes the norm. People will do anything to hold the power. Whether through adapting or not. Greed makes people blind. Machines are not in fault it’s just we haven’t did anything to prepare. They’re people who have constantly gave solutions after solutions but we focus on the small radical ones so we could make fun of them. We could tackle this from both sides but requires us to get up from the cushy life the elites leads us to believe. Like was it ever normal or were we just got use to it. Like having nuclear bombs to these types of jobs.

[@andrewbudd7368]

Thanks for your work man.

[@jpmcmullan8666]

I just started at a warehouse. After the second day I said “oof I gotta go back to school”

[@suzannechazin7393]

You know what would be a good video? Jeff Bezos doing a whole day of work in one of his warehouses--without a bathroom break.

[@sharongillesp]

Nah...give 'em at least five minutes if he's on the opposite end of the warehouse.

[@GoDrex]

Nonsense

[@Zeuts85]

Needs to be more than a day. Let's make him work there for at least a month so he can start to feel the effects of exhaustion build up. Then let's have him keep working, and working... and we'll keep filming it. It'll be like earthcam livestream, but instead of showing the New York skyline it'll just be Bezos working, and then some guys whipping his body when he collapses from exhaustion. I could watch that all day every day. With popcorn.

[@seblastoise9332]

Make it a month, specifically December and you got a great reality show.

[@dewaynethomas3122]

The first person to quit Undercover Boss.

[@theonefromperu]

"They're almost like robots, except they're obviously human beings." EA: "They're not lootboxes, they're surprise mechanics." Same energy.

[@camelthegamer7165]

Damned right.

[@N0tsaved]

I want John to interview Jim Sterling and they both shit on every single corporation that's abusing their workers for hours on end.

[@kylestallings9684]

Sen except one is much more harmful than the other Sorry to say but video game company bullshit is not nearly as important as meat packing type conditions in 2019

[@yemlivagnyul4052]

We here at Amazon want to instill our workers with a sense of pride and accomplishment!

[@killingtime4444]

@@kylestallings9684 yeah but it could be just as important in the right light. Children and teenage gambling is the core issue with the lootbox thing. Predatory practices, etc. I do agree physical conditions is the higher priority though

[@Dafoodmaster]

the bear mace thing reminds me of a story: i used to work at the warehouse of an online retailer of outdoor stuff and knives - there was this one cheap knife that was notorious for getting loose in the sheath during transport - but because of it being so cheap, and selling so much, they were just thrown into a big box you had to grab handfulls out of. i was stabbed in my hand in the second month i think, i wasn't the first and i wasnt the last. they fired me after a year and the situation had not been resolved in any way. (mind you, there was a period of time where there were no accidents because i was pushing the knives back into their sheaths in any pockets of found time i could find)

[@frank-bmtz]

I worked at the Fullfillment Center for Target. They fired me at my 90th day, right after I signed up for benefits. They also didn't give me a reason either.

[@sapphiresupernova]

Sounds about par for the course for target. I used to work the merchandising side, so I did a tiny bit of fulfillment and online order picking. They kept moving the full time hours back further and further and then putting everyone just under that to keep them part time. Don't shop there online. Just don't.

[@OMGYEveryNameIsUsed]

"You load sixteen tons, what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt"

[@bengal4047]

"Saint Peter don't you call me, cause I can't go. I owe my soul to the company store"

[@hopethisnamesnottaken]

Thanks! Just when this song had finally stopped jingling in my head!

[@Orangeflava]

Classic tune

[@ohmyblindman]

proof that nothing has really changed.

[@GinEric84]

@@ohmyblindman you need to crack open some books to understand what that song is actually about. Once you get it you won't say anything this silly again. At least not on this topic

[@richstoehr3247]

"Amazon - Try Not to Think About It" should be the new Prime Day tagline.

[@Tenchigumi]

I think "BEAR SPRAYYY!" could be a close second.

[@matthewnelson325]

@ 11:35 In the video ... Maybe we could all take a lesson from the Mayfly ! ha ha ; )

[@noone8477]

Have a reply :)

[@bellakagamine]

This episode always made me scared to work in a warehouse, but when I finally got desperate enough for extra income that I picked up a graveyard shift in an Amazon sortation center I was actually surprised. It is, of course, physical labor that is hard on your body, I walk about 10 miles in an 8 hour shift. But the company actually does a surprising amount to make it more bearable - a program automatically rotates employees between different tasks so you're never doing the same activity for too long, or too many shifts in a row, in an attempt to prevent repetitive strain. I was also surprised to find that scan rates are not stressed in the slightest (specifically at sortation centers). I was never told what the official goal rate is, and they don't bother having us log out for breaks. I'm not trying to shill for Amazon or anything, it's just work, and I can't speak for fulfillment centers vs sortation. I don't know if the company has tried to make positive change since this episode came out, or if I just got crazy lucky and ended up in a great warehouse.

[@rosenars6665]

“Uh oh BEAR SPRAY!” 🤣

[@Blur4strike]

Former Amazon packer here, I can sadly confirm the truth of the article.

[@redrambler2000]

Blur4strike so they just let you quit? you mean it was your own choice if you kept working there or not? Hard to feel bad for anyone that decides to go along with that shit day in day out

[@eugenebotsman]

@@redrambler2000 plenty of desperate people, and people needing income. Fuck it why not bring back gladiator fights, all we need is people willingly signing an agreement to kill each other, make the money prize heafty and all, I'm sure people will come watch. Nothing wrong if they agreed to it right?

[@Semi_Successful]

@@eugenebotsman don't think it's that extreme. If you don't know, the $15 wage raise was because the threat of a starting a union. And they're compromise was 15$ min wage. So blame the people who were at the table and took a nibble instead of a bite.

[@lunalovecraft1467]

Rust R I mean that would be kinda cool tho

[@lunalovecraft1467]

Blur4strike if you don’t mind me asking, what was the worst part or your worst experience etc.

[@AaronLaZox]

As a former amazon "associate" that sorted boxes on thanksgiving i can confirm this is definitely how it is...

[@arturodelarosa4394]

Seems fair to me. Although Robots wouldn't care if is freaking hanuka. Just saying. (support automation!)

[@kingzach74]

No, it's so much worse than this. They didn't describe well enough.

[@avigutierrez8948]

Wow 😲. You guys work overtime on holidays holy crap how does one not go insane😔 tragedy there.

[@krisithemperor2410]

@@avigutierrez8948 not on the day but around it, it gets hectic they start adding days and making them longer like im working 4 days 10 hour shift they would add either 1 or 2 more days while increasing the shift from 10 hours to 12 differs for different positions.

[@janethockey9070]

DJ A.aron Go you!