Belabored Podcast #156: Striking Amazon

On Amazon Prime Day warehouse workers around the world took action against the company. We hear about some of the organizing going on in fulfillment centers from Germany to New Jersey.

An Amazon fulfillment center in Fife, Scotland (Scottish Government / Flickr)

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This past week was Amazon Prime Day, the newly minted capitalist holiday where the world’s biggest retailer offers sweet deals on a random day of its choosing and its workers pay the price. This year, though, Amazon Prime Day was the target of action around the world, and we bring you some updates from some of those actions, from Germany to right here in the United States.

We also hear from a Seattle nanny on the new domestic worker bill of rights in that city, from workers fighting poison pesticides, think about what climate change means for people who work in the heat, and talk to someone from Mark Janus’s former union about Janus’s new job. For Argh, we consider mass layoffs as class warfare, and look at Trump’s Supreme Court nominee’s class prejudice.

This week’s show was supported by our monthly sustaining members and by Netroots Nation. If you think our work is worth supporting as we soldier on through Trumplandia, please consider becoming a member today. If you’re interested in advertising on the show, please email ads@dissentmagazine.org. And as always, if you have any questions, comments, or tips, email us at belabored@dissentmagazine.org.

News

Groups Make Final Push In Court To Ban Pesticide Linked to Brain Damage (Earth Justice)

Americans already living EPA rollbacks under Pruitt. See the list (The Morning Call)

Seattle City Council passes new labor standards for domestic workers (Curbed Seattle)

As Climate Heats Up, Government Must Protect Workers From Heat (UFW Foundation)

It is Time to Protect Millions of Workers From Extreme Heat (Citizen Vox)

America’s Most Despised Coworker Gets New Job With Other Despicable People (Splinter)

Conversation

Amazon Prime Day threatened by strikes at European warehouses over working conditions (CNBC)

German Amazon employees strike for better pay, health conditions (The Local)

Warehouse workers bring fight for better wages, conditions to Amazon (northjersey.com)

Warehouse Workers Stand Up Code of Conduct (Warehouse Workers Stand Up)