3494

Well let’s see:

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2018/06/14/amazon-fulfillment-center-pay-to-quit-offers.html

Once a year in mid-winter, Amazon fulfillment center employees are sent an offer called “pay to quit.”

So that’s around… now, per usual.

Look. There is no additional information we really need to know that working in an Amazon warehouse seems pretty awful. It wasn’t even that long ago that it was suggested they were dropping due to lack of climate control, and that was after people started talking about how they practically strip search their employees in ways that might make the TSA or the defunct Toys R Us blush. Their CampForce program exploits the old and desperate, and they rake in a ton of money while just not taking care of their workforce in a way I think the general public would like them to do. There are not even good stories coming out of their HQs about how their professionals are treated, and that’s before they have some sort of… competitive thing going on with that group too.

Most people do not require made-up reasons to be unhappy with the way Amazon handles its workforce. It’s fine if the unions want to spin their spin because that’s what political bodies do. Don’t fall for it. If you want to support this particular union, then support them because you believe it is what is best for the employees, not because they’re trying to take a decade old program and make it seem like it was designed to combat the union fight of today.

3495

No, there’s evidence that some workers were unaware (turnover?), but we’ve both read a bit into what wasn’t there. Maybe they changed the dates a bit, but it’s most likely just what an algorithm spit out as the best date, with some influence of data of employment unhappiness correlated to, but not the same thing as, will to unionize.

3496

The reason for the time of year is pretty obvious- Christmas rush is over, they need fewer employees until the next big rush.

Nothing suspicious there. Workers being unaware is possible- it’s something they might be advertising a lot more right now to try and get malcontents out (malcontents are more likely to vote for the union- if only to hurt the company, I know this from my own place’s unionization drive which I started, and it’s made me around $50,000 over 7 years).

3497

How would paying people to quit somehow help Amazon when it comes to the union vote?

Like… what’s the logical sequence of events that takes place there?

3498

People who quit, which is much less confrontational, can’t vote, which also allows them to avoid more harassment from the boss.

3499

If someone quits, it’s not counted as a no vote.

3500

People who you’ve metaphorically beaten into submission already and/or are scared of change aren’t voting yes.

EDiT: not meant as a stealth edit, sorry, just not willing to discuss how physically draining someone and then feeding them propaganda works. If you disagree, fine, whatever.

3501

All right. Well I initially thought you were honest in asking your question but yeah, not really interested in facts. Enjoy the conspiracies.

3502

I’m still not seeing any kind of logical argument for why paying people to leave (via a program that has been in place since well before this issue) is going to somehow help Amazon win this vote.

3503

Without going to survey a bunch of Amazon workers it seems reasonable to me that:

  • Someone who is unhappy with their job is more likely to accept a severance to go away
  • Someone who is unhappy is also more likely to vote for massive changes such as unionizing
  • Someone who is happy or at least content with how things are going now are more likely to vote no than the above.

So if you’re Amazon you buy off as many guaranteed yes votes as you can and also get rid of the workers who are likely less productive. Not saying that’s the sole and specific intent of this program (especially since it isn’t new) but if they can flex the date on it a bit to get some additional benefit? 100% that’s what they would do.

3504

Parts of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest are being illegally sold on Facebook, the BBC has discovered.

The protected areas include national forests and land reserved for indigenous peoples.

Some of the plots listed via Facebook’s classified ads service are as large as 1,000 football pitches.

Facebook said it was “ready to work with local authorities”, but indicated it would not take independent action of its own to halt the trade.

3505

Parler comes to its senses and retracts its lawsuit against Amazon. Total paper tigers, just like Trump.

3506

Apparently they are refiling in state court. I have no idea of the technical legalities involved but this is most likely a Hail Mary.

3507

Yep. Can’t wait to see discovery on this one. I’m sure Parler has nothing to fear.

3508
3509

Stopped Fucking Clock Rudy.

3510

Rudy Giuliani is an unemployed idiot lawyer with no influencer or power. We don’t need to know what he’s saying.

3511

This is what you say about nearly everyone and nearly every topic.

Just mute me instead of trying to thread police me every other day.

3512

I feel like I missed something here, is anyone anywhere on earth not saying Rudy is an unemployed idiot lawyer (who should be disbarred) that we should ignore?

I’m betting even Rudy agrees with this assessment.

3513

Not true. I say this about people who I guess want us to hate click the latest thing that Trump’s past administration is saying. And I repeat it because it’s worth reminding people that these nincompoops are out of power and it doesn’t matter what they say.