John,

We’re gaining traction—this week Senators Warren and Markey released a letter to Amazon inquiring about the high workplace injury rate boosted by the tech giant’s productivity surveillance system. ¹

This letter comes on the heels of the discovery of secret Amazon reports that detail the extreme lengths the company goes to monitor and spy on its warehouse workers—even going so far as to hire the Pinkerton detective agency. ²

Amazon’s worker surveillance is putting people in serious danger. Sign the petition to keep workers safe and stop invasive worker surveillance.

Productivity surveillance controls and monitors warehouse workers’ movements second by second. The surveillance system not only tracks each second of a worker’s shift but also determines how much time they should have to go to the bathroom or eat food. The punishing pace pushes workers beyond human limits resulting in abnormally high injury rates. ^{3, 4}

The more efficient the surveillance technology becomes, the more injuries sustained.

Some good news: we’re gaining momentum in both houses of Congress. The Warren-Markey letter is the third investigation launched on the dangers of Amazon’s internal surveillance dragnet since we launched our campaign. ^{5, 6}

These investigations are great but we need more to be done to protect workers at all corporations not just Amazon.

Tell Congress: to put forth legislation to end workplace surveillance

TAKE ACTION

Amazon’s workplace surveillance network doesn’t just injure workers, it also suppresses worker organizing and makes it more difficult for them to speak out against the technology giant. ⁷

Everything from artificial intelligent cameras to covert intelligence gathering teams are used to monitor workers and their communications. ⁸ Amazon surveillance system is designed to control and exploit workers. It erodes workers' basic rights and puts them at risk.

It has to stop now. Multiple members of the Senate and Congress have jump-started action to hold Amazon accountable. We just need one of them to put forth legislation to end workplace surveillance taking place at all corporations including Amazon. But it’s going to take on-going grassroots pressure to keep the momentum going and get legislation.

Will you help us protect workers at corporations like Amazon and end worker surveillance?

In solidarity,

Ayele, Fight for the Future

Footnotes:

1. U.S. Senator Markey Press Release. https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/warren-markey-kennedy-release-amazon-response-to-their-inquiries-about-high-rate-of-serious-injuries-among-warehouse-workers

2. Vice. https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dp3yn/amazon-leaked-reports-expose-spying-warehouse-workers-labor-union-environmental-groups-social-movements

3. Logic Mag. https://logicmag.io/bodies/surviving-amazon/

4. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/25/18516004/amazon-warehouse-fulfillment-centers-productivity-firing-terminations

5. U.S. Senator Brown Press Release. https://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-wyden-blast-amazon-thwart-union-organizing-end-anti-worker-policies

6. U.S. Senator Schatz Press Release. https://www.schatz.senate.gov/press-releases/schatz-senators-to-amazon-stop-suppressing-unions-undermining-right-to-organize

7. Open Markets Institute. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e449c8c3ef68d752f3e70dc/t/5f4cffea23958d79eae1ab23/1598881772432/Amazon_Report_Final.pdf

8. Vice. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3azegw/amazon-is-spying-on-its-workers-in-closed-facebook-groups-internal-reports-show

Fight for the Future works to protect your rights in the digital age.