California 1st to set quota limits for retailers like Amazon

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

California 1st to set quota limits for retailers like Amazon

By DON THOMPSON
September 22, 2021

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California on Wednesday became the first state to bar mega-retailers from firing warehouse workers for missing quotas that interfere with bathroom and rest breaks under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that grew from Amazon’s drive to speed goods to consumers more quickly.

The measure also bars Amazon, the online retail giant, and similar companies from disciplining workers for following health and safety laws and allows employees to sue to suspend unsafe quotas or reverse retaliation. The bill applies to all warehouse distribution centers, though proponents were driven by Amazon’s dominance.

“We cannot allow corporations to put profit over people,” Newsom, a Democrat, said in a news release announcing he had signed the law.

The law, AB 701, was authored by Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, a lawyer and former labor leader. She accused Amazon of disciplining warehouse workers at the direction of “an algorithm” that tracks employees’ activities and can determine that anything not directly related to moving packages is “off-task.”

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/california-recall-business-california-laws-64113701ff0097be561766823cfa056e

[Hekate]

1. That is splendid news. May other states follow.

[Aussie105]

2. We cannot allow corporations to put profit over people

Surely, in this enlightened age, this doesn't happen anymore?

US is not a third world country, now is it?
(Or is it? I'm starting to have doubts.)

The 'off-task' problem is easily solved.
For every 20 workers, add one more to the task.
Each of the 20 workers can then have 5% 'off-task' time.
And not affect 'productivity'.
Problem solved!

HINT: the problem isn't with the workers, it's with management.