How Amazon keeps costs low...

[Dannyalcatraz]

At least in part:

Inside Amazon's Very Hot Warehouse - Yahoo! Finance

If true- and if its a pattern- I'm quite disappointed. I was hoping Amazon's revolutionary style of JIT shopping would be coupled with better treatment of employees.

Don't get me wrong- working in a warehouse is never going to be fun & games, but you really shouldn't be slow-roasting your people. AND disciplining them for succumbing to the heat while you do so.

 

[Sutekh]

Ive no doubt its true.

For too long I think people have had a fantasy view of what goes in to running an internet based business (and internet for the front end that is). Its unlikely that Amazon is the only example of this but i think it is the most noticeable because of the size of Amazon. 12.25 an hour honestly shocked me. Thats far below min wage here in Aus.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Thats far below min wage here in Aus.

Then don't ask about min wage in the USA unless you're already sitting down.

 

[Dog Moon]

12.25 an hour honestly shocked me. Thats far below min wage here in Aus.

Heh, and here I was thinking 'hey, not too shabby'. I forget what minimum wage was here in Minnesota. I want to say something like $6.25 an hour maybe.

 

[Sutekh]

I have the anime eyes wide open look currently going on. I work in a library thus Im sitting in front of a computer screen . !!!6.25? frak........

 

[Nebten]

For future reference: U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Minimum Wage Laws in the States

$12.25 is a pretty good wage no matter which state you are at without any formal training. The working conditions are unexceptable.

 

[prosfilaes]

12.25 an hour honestly shocked me. Thats far below min wage here in Aus.

Really? Factoring in the exchange rate? The minimum wage in the US is $7.25, up to $8.67 in some places. I wouldn't turn my nose up at $12.25, personally.

 

[megamania]

Vermont minium wage I believe was raised to 8.25 in 2010. It was a big deal then since the states next to us were still in the 6 dollar range.


That said, I work 70 hours a week and the wife 50 hours a week just to get by with maybe 300 dollars left over at the end of the month.



Eventually the average American will rebel and it won't be pretty. Either in my life time or my kids.....

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Part of what drives the American MinWage down is the large pool of workers...legal and illegal. That's basic supply & demand.

Then there's the whole question of which jobs does the MinWage apply to. For instance, it doesn't neccessarily apply to waitstaff, for instance, because of tipping.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/q-a.htm

 

[Thunderfoot]

Part of what drives the American MinWage down is the large pool of workers...legal and illegal. That's basic supply & demand.

Then there's the whole question of which jobs does the MinWage apply to. For instance, it doesn't neccessarily apply to waitstaff, for instance, because of tipping.

U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Minimum Wage

Yep, my son is a waiter - $3 an hour plus tips - up from $2.75 at his old job.
$12.25 - in the words of Bart Simpson - "that ain't not bad."