this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2025

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Amazon accused of using algorithms to push warehouse workers to breaking point (www.theregister.com)

submitted 2 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 58 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Many people who have been in abusive work situations know that there's a point when you should leave but the constant drain from the abuse keeps you in a state of exhaustion that prevents any action. It's often only once this makes you so physically sick that you have to take the time off and realize this can't go on any longer.

I believe this is the zone where Amazon wants to keep their employees. Fully exhausted, given up on any possible improvement.

If you find yourself in a situation like this, run like fuck.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Ok but what do I do when it's the entire country

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

Emigrate?

[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The title is vague, so here's the title of the actual study the article is based on:

Weaponizing the Workplace: How Algorithmic Management Shaped Amazon's Antiunion Campaign in Bessemer, Alabama

Also, the problem isn't the algorithms used for the work. The problem is the metrics they expect employees to consistently hit. The technology isn't the problem, they just expect too much from their employees.

Source: Worked in a lot of different Amazon buildings

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 days ago

THIS JUST IN: BREAKING NEWS FROM A DECADE AGO

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Serious question: why do people work at amazon? Are they unaware of what's happening? Is the money just that good?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The alternative under capitalism is death or at the very least being an outcast from society.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

There are no other companies out there. Amazon is the only one.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

For many people, yes, there is no other choice. Was that meant to be a joke?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 days ago

No, people often fail to see how modern day capitalism is basically indentured servitude for those at the bottom.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 days ago

Changing jobs carries a lot of risks:

Many Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck and cannot afford to quit their bad job before looking for another
American healthcare system means that if you are between jobs and anyone in your family gets seriously sick/injured then you will be in medical debt for the rest of your life
For many people, there are few jobs available. Maybe the other jobs pay too poorly for them to live on
As discussed, employees aren't given slack-time, so they can't search for a new job while at work
Because they're exhausted, they can't search for a new job while not at work
Amazon isn't the worst place to work. Your next job might be worse! (Small businesses in the USA are exempt from many rules and effectively-exempt from many more.)

[–] qwestjest78 5 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Here is my question, why would they want to do that? Like I get that they want to maximize productivity, but if you keep pushing them, then eventually people quit. Don't they still need workers?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The strategy so far has to just hire new ones. The job is so on the rails anyone can do it. The machine tells you where to go, which items to pick up etc

You obviously don't want people to quit, but they want to push them as hard as possible without making them quit

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 days ago

As Evotech said already, they churn through their tier 1 workers at a breakneck pace anyway. Pushing them harder won't make the issues worse, it's already bad. Plus they are continually striving to automate everything possible, so eventually many low level jobs at the warehouse will be automated

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

For warehouse positions, at least a decade ago, "hiring events" consisted of showing up with a valid driver's license. I think they did a background check. No interview. Boom, you've got a job.

They effectively have an infinite labor supply and have everything structured to be incredibly resistant to what little room there is for error.