Amazon.com Inc offered “deceptive or grossly incomplete” knowledge concerning the variety of Covid-19 infections probably unfold in its US amenities, in response to a labour group calling on the federal authorities to research the corporate.
Of the just about 20,000 staff the corporate stated contracted the coronavirus final yr, Amazon maintains solely 27 probably caught it at work, in response to the Strategic Organising Centre, which reviewed Amazon’s annual office sickness and harm disclosures to the US Division of Labor. Federal authorities final yr required corporations to report work-related Covid-19 circumstances.
The centre, whose members embody the Worldwide Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Service Staff Worldwide Union, in contrast Amazon’s Covid-19 disclosures with county well being division data about Covid outbreaks in Los Angeles, Salt Lake Metropolis and the Portland, Oregon, suburb of Troutdale. The three well being departments discovered greater than 750 Covid circumstances amongst Amazon employees, however Amazon’s disclosures counsel none of them have been work-related, in response to the examine.
“The accessible info is screaming for an investigation,” stated Eric Frumin, the Strategic Organising Heart’s well being and security director. “How is it doable for the corporate to say it had 20,000 circumstances and solely 27 have been transmitted at work? That defies science and logic.”
Amazon disputed the examine’s conclusions, saying that the Occupational Security and Well being Administration has acknowledged the problem of proving whether or not an individual contracted Covid-19 whereas on the job. Amazon interviews staff to find out publicity danger and has performed 1,800 vaccination occasions at its amenities, in response to spokeswoman Kelly Nantel.
“These claims are deliberately deceptive to attempt to paint a false image,” Nantel stated. “Whereas we all know we aren’t good, we’re working arduous day by day to take heed to the specialists and preserve our groups and communities protected, which has included incurring greater than US$15bil (RM63.03bil) in prices for issues like intensive contact tracing, on-site vaccine clinics and testing.”
Amazon benefited from a surge in on-line procuring throughout the lockdown interval of the pandemic at the same time as many retailers have been pressured to shut shops. Final yr, Amazon’s gross sales jumped 38% to US$386bil (RM1.62 trillion), and the corporate posted document earnings.
The corporate’s e-commerce growth coincided with a barrage of criticism from employees, labour teams and authorities officers, who stated Amazon didn’t do sufficient to guard employees and was stingy with Covid knowledge.
Earlier this month, Amazon agreed to enhance its communication with California staff and native well being departments about Covid-19 outbreaks and pay US$500,000 (RM2.10mil) to resolve an investigation launched final yr by the state’s legal professional common. In February, New York Legal professional Normal Letitia James filed a lawsuit alleging Amazon did not adjust to office security guidelines throughout the pandemic and retaliated in opposition to warehouse staff who voiced issues. That case is pending.
Federal authorities ought to to take a broader have a look at Amazon’s practices, stated Steven Markowitz, an epidemiologist on the Metropolis College of New York and an professional in occupational dangers.
“Individuals are appearing just like the pandemic is over, however we’re nonetheless in bother,” he stated, citing the brand new omicron variant. “OSHA says you need to make a good-faith effort to find out if a case is work-related, so that you wish to know the way Amazon arrived at solely 27 circumstances out of almost 20,000.” – Bloomberg