Army Of Workers In Amazon Warehouses Voice Concerns About Workplace Safety
Amazon's inconsistent response to the epidemic has unsettled many of the 400,000 workers helping to fill orders that have soared at least 50% for groceries. Infections have occurred in at least 50 of its 500 warehouses. Other supply chain news is on protections for grocery store workers and wasted food, as well.
The New York Times:
Gaps In Amazon’s Coronavirus Response Fuel Warehouse Workers’ Demands
Jonathan Bailey, a 30-year-old Amazon warehouse employee in Queens, has a system for protecting himself from the coronavirus at work. He wears a medical mask with a bandanna tied over it. When he returns to the apartment he shares with his wife, he dumps his mask, work gloves, neon green Amazon safety vest and other clothes into a plastic trash bag. He’s not certain it really works, but he figures it’s better than nothing. “We’re very careful,” Mr. Bailey said. “We’re in the epicenter of it all.” As millions of Americans heed government orders to hunker down, ordering food and medicines and books and puzzle boards for home delivery, many of Amazon’s 400,000 warehouse workers have stayed on the job, fulfilling the crushing demands of a country suddenly working and learning from home. (Weise and Conger, 4/5)
The Associated Press:
Grocery Workers Are Key During The Virus. And They're Afraid
Every day, grocery workers are restocking toilet paper, eggs, produce and canned goods as fast as the items fly off the shelves. They disinfect keypads, freezer handles and checkout counters as hundreds of people weave around them, sometimes standing too close for comfort amid the coronavirus pandemic. Some work for hours behind clear plastic barriers installed at checkout counters, bulwarks against sudden sneezes or coughs that can propel germs. (Vertuno, 4/6)
Politico:
Food Goes To Waste Amid Coronavirus Crisis
The coronavirus pandemic is leading the food industry and regulators to change policies as they grapple with empty shelves, a glut of fresh produce and milk, and sudden shifts in consumer buying habits. The problem isn’t a shortage of food and commodities. If anything, food waste is becoming a bigger issue as traditionally big, bulk buyers — like college dorms and restaurant chains — suddenly stop receiving deliveries. As a result, millions of gallons of milk are being dumped, and farmers have no alternative but to turn fresh vegetables into mulch. (Behsudi and McCrimmon, 4/5)
