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Solidarity with Amazon Workers?

Jeff Robinson

Jeff Robinson

Marxist-Lentilist: Jackboots and Jackfruit
What's the best way to support Amazon workers in their struggle against the tyrannical and thuggish Bezos empire? There's Make Amazon Pay who I've donated to, but there doesn't seem to be much information or transparency on their website about what they do. GMB seem to have little more than a petition. Are there any grassroots groups to support?
 
Depends on the level of activity already going on. Obviously the current pandemic situation doesn't make life much easier in terms of IRL activity. Do you have a fulfilment centre anywhere near you? If you lived in Bessemer, Alabama, I'm sure there'd be plenty of stuff to get stuck in with, but if not then it's a bit harder. I would suggest that if you get in touch with the Angry Workers lot, they might know if there's owt going on among warehouse workers in your area, or people who are interested in organising anything. Your local Unite Community branch might well be able to offer tips/say if anything's happening as well? Failing all that, I suppose you could just contact your local/regional GMB office and ask "are you actually doing any organising among Amazon workers in my area atm and is there anything I can do to help?" Workers' Initiative do good stuff in Poland, but I spose that's of limited use if you're not in Poland.
 
MickiQ said:
How is that not a scam?
Click to expand...

Well, they're not providing me with free range books with a verified supply chain!

It's generally I assume just drop shipping without the middleman. Price on Amazon 15 quid, price on eBay 20 quid, seller pockets the profit. Something like that, anyway.

Made me look a right plonker in the office a few months back, I'd been ranting about them for five mins before someone walked in with an amazon branded box for me. :|
 
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Amazon owns over 40 companies - including Audible, Diapers.com, Goodreads, IMBd, Kiva Systems (now Amazon Robotics), Shopbop, Twitch, Teachtreat, Wholefoods Market and Zappos.

There is some connection between Amazon Prime and Netflix (it being possible to watch Netflix with Prime), but I don't think Amazon actually owns Netflix.
 
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Count Cuckula said:
Amazon owns over 40 companies - including Audible, Diapers.com, Goodreads, IMBd, Kiva Systems (now Amazon Robotics), Shopbop, Twitch, Teachtreat, Wholefoods Market and Zappos.

There is some connection between Amazon Prime and Netflix (it being possible to watch Netflix with Prime), but I don't think Amazon actiually owns Netflix.
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They don't but they do indeed make a shit ton of cash out of them. Outside the US, Netflix's IT infrastructure is almost entirely based on AWS and ran from Amazon Data Centres
 
hypernormalized said:
Also interested in this, I've been boycotting them for a good while now. Frustratingly occasionally when I order things from eBay the sellers just order from Amazon with my address... :snarl:
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I think this might be because the seller uses both ebay & Amazon platforms. The item you order will be listed on eBay & Amazon for same price. Generally if you order the item from eBay the postage will be free but order from Amazon & postage will be added. I agree it is odd to order off eBay & item is delivered by Amazon driver.

Absolutely fuck Amazon though I hate the way they try to con you onto Amazon prime. You really have to be careful you do not accidentally sign up while ordering. People complain all the time they have joined Amazon prime without realising it.
 
8ball said:
Are you sure about this? You can watch Netflix on a Firestick, but it doesn't seem to be bundled in with a Prime subscription.
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Not sure but I think he might be right. I've noticed recently that my Prime homescreen includes recommendations and links to Netflix. It is all streamed through a Firestick though so could be that too.
 
hypernormalized said:
Also interested in this, I've been boycotting them for a good while now. Frustratingly occasionally when I order things from eBay the sellers just order from Amazon with my address... :snarl:
Click to expand...
i think its because some small traders have both ebay and amazon marketplace accounts from which they hawk their wares. they might be sitting on some amazon or ebay branded packaging materials, meaning you order from one but get an envelope branded with the other

i think
 
Spymaster said:
Not sure but I think he might be right. I've noticed recently that my Prime homescreen includes recommendations and links to Netflix. It is all streamed through a Firestick though so could be that too.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but try clicking on the Netflix stuff and it will try to put you on a free trial or subscription.
 
Spymaster said:
Oh yes, not suggesting it’s included in the Amazon sub but I don’t think CC was either.
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Ah, ok. Think I misread that, then. There does seem to be some confusion on tinternet about it.

I can see both options on several devices bit within the Prime account I don’t see options for Netflix shows (and there are plenty of things in Prime that you can click on and then find it wants more money - wish you could turn all that crap off in the settings so you could only see the “free” stuff).
 
8ball said:
Ah, ok. Think I misread that, then. There does seem to be some confusion on tinternet about it.

I can see both options on several devices bit within the Prime account I don’t see options for Netflix shows (and there are plenty of things in Prime that you can click on and then find it wants more money - wish you could turn all that crap off in the settings so you could only see the “free” stuff).
Click to expand...
You can, but not in settings.

When you search Prime, there’s a button by the genres called “free to me”. Click that and it will only show you the non-pay stuff.
 
A few things to cross-post from the other Amazon thread:
supportamazonworkers.org

March 20 - Support Amazon Workers

supportamazonworkers.org supportamazonworkers.org

www.transnational-strike.info

Rebelling against Amazon’s Algorithm. Notes on the Drivers’ Strike in Pisa - Transnational Social Strike Platform

by INFOAUT (Italy) We publish the English translation of a text written by the drivers who went on strike last week against Amazon in Pisa, Italy. For months Amazon, taking advantage of the pandemic, has been carrying out an increase in rhythms, hours and workloads for couriers throughout Italy...
www.transnational-strike.info www.transnational-strike.info
 
A few things that might as well go here:
organizing.work

The spectacle of boycotts

Carmen Molinari argues that viral boycott calls like the recent one against Amazon “point us away from the hard work of building real power.”
organizing.work organizing.work

truthout.org

Amazon Is Paying Consultants Nearly $10,000 a Day to Obstruct Union Drive

As workers in Alabama organize, the company’s tactics underscore the need for the Protecting the Right to Organize Act.
truthout.org truthout.org

PrintFriendly.com: Print & PDF

Print Friendly and PDF webpages
www.printfriendly.com www.printfriendly.com

The worker had been watching the push by thousands of Amazon warehouse employees in Bessemer, Ala., to join a union. He became one of more than 1,000 Amazon workers in the United States who contacted the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union in recent weeks to see what it might take to start an organizing drive at his facility. And he says that an Alabama victory would inspire more of his co-workers to join the fight.
Click to expand...

 
MickiQ said:
How is that not a scam?
Click to expand...

Multi channel fulfilment. I worked for a company where this occurred.

When your on-site stock over sells (that you would fulfill eBay orders with for instance) you can fulfill the order via your stock that you have sitting in an Amazon warehouse.
 
BlanketAddict said:
Multi channel fulfilment. I worked for a company where this occurred.

When your on-site stock over sells (that you would fulfill eBay orders with for instance) you can fulfill the order via your stock that you have sitting in an Amazon warehouse.
Click to expand...
One way I can see that working is using your Prime account to allow you to offer bulky items with free shipping.
 
Bumping this cos I've just seen Unite's website for Amazon stuff:

Action on Amazon – Stop the Exploitation

A POWERFUL COALITION, challenging the working practices championed by Amazon.Their union-busting tactics deny workers a voice and create unnecessary fear. Read more.STOP THE EXPloitatioN. STOP THE SURVEILLANCE. STOP THE GREED Sign up to our email action list What are we...
actiononamazon.org actiononamazon.org

Bit skeptical of this, it seems very "march on the media" and like media/social media rather than shopfloor driven (although having said that, if they do have ongoing shopfloor organising efforts going on anywhere I'd hope they'd be keeping it very quiet for the time being so who knows?) But probably relevant to the question in the OP, anyway.
 
Aye, they've done a couple of banner drops here in Leicester, one at the football ground and one at the space centre. Both were covered in the local paper. I'm not sure what the link is with Amazon though, apart from the banner.
 
hitmouse said:
Bumping this cos I've just seen Unite's website for Amazon stuff:

Action on Amazon – Stop the Exploitation

A POWERFUL COALITION, challenging the working practices championed by Amazon.Their union-busting tactics deny workers a voice and create unnecessary fear. Read more.STOP THE EXPloitatioN. STOP THE SURVEILLANCE. STOP THE GREED Sign up to our email action list What are we...
actiononamazon.org actiononamazon.org

Bit skeptical of this, it seems very "march on the media" and like media/social media rather than shopfloor driven (although having said that, if they do have ongoing shopfloor organising efforts going on anywhere I'd hope they'd be keeping it very quiet for the time being so who knows?) But probably relevant to the question in the OP, anyway.
Click to expand...

I was just coming here to post a link to that campaign.

Action on Amazon

I was prompted by someone posting a link to a book they were recommending (who and what book not relevant here, this is not about a personal attack on anyone) which was actually a link to Amazon rather than the publisher.

One small way in which we as a community could perhaps help this campaign (in addition to what we may be doing elsewhere, not instead of) is to discourage people from actively posting Amazon links in that way.

What do people think?
 
andysays said:
I was just coming here to post a link to that campaign.

Action on Amazon

I was prompted by someone posting a link to a book they were recommending (who and what book not relevant here, this is not about a personal attack on anyone) which was actually a link to Amazon rather than the publisher.

One small way in which we as a community could perhaps help this campaign (in addition to what we may be doing elsewhere, not instead of) is to discourage people from actively posting Amazon links in that way.

What do people think?
Click to expand...

I missed the bit where Unite or anyone speaking for Amazon workers asked for a consumer boycott.
 
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