https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:58:09 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon/page/2#post-2344726 Wed, 04 Nov 2015 19:51:33 +0000 Raindrop 2344726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well it looks like some good came out of this.</p> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/03/technology/amazon-adds-new-perks-for-workers-and-opens-a-bookstore.html?_r=1" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/03/technology/amazon-adds-new-perks-for-workers-and-opens-a-bookstore.html?_r=1</a></p> <p>Before : [Amazon] offered no paid paternity leave and eight weeks of maternity leave.</p> <p>Now : Amazon employees learned that birth mothers would now get 20 weeks of leave and fathers would get up to six weeks. Amazon also announced a flexible return-to-work program and an ability to share leave with a spouse who does not work for the retailer.</p> <p>Also they are opening a book store in University Village mall in Seattle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon/page/2#post-2325992 Mon, 19 Oct 2015 15:06:19 +0000 Adira 2325992@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There's a rebuttal to this piece:</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/@jaycarney/what-the-new-york-times-didn-t-tell-you-a1128aa78931" rel="nofollow">https://medium.com/@jaycarney/what-the-new-york-times-didn-t-tell-you-a1128aa78931</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon/page/2#post-2265569 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:46:27 +0000 LovelyPlum 2265569@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I saw this, and I am not wild about how they treat workers. That said, if I stop to think about it, I can't say I'm surprised. Amazon is fast, and they offer a lot for not very much money. That they mistreat employees in the name of efficiency does not surprise me.</p> <p>That said, I'm not saying it's right. It seems as though they treat employees as commodities that they need to get maximum efficiency out of, cancer, pregnancy, family matters not excepted. It's not great, but I woder if people go in knowing the high turnover anyways. If so, and they compensate well, then maybe some people use it as an opportunity to make a boatload of $$ before they want to raise their families? Just a thought...</p> <p>Regardless, I'm not yet giving up my Prime subscription. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon/page/2#post-2265548 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:26:51 +0000 BSB 2265548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't regularly watch 'undercover boss' but I saw they did one on the 'Oriental trading company' and the workers in the warehouse. I think Amazon and other companies would benefit from seeing how their workers really work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265526 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 20:11:51 +0000 Freckles 2265526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: @mrs.shinerbock: I think it also depends on the region. My friend (a manager who works closely with warehouse employees) told me that warehouse workers are treated pretty well in Canada and work 40 hours a week. He actually felt that the article was inaccurate of Amazon as a whole. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265497 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 19:42:58 +0000 plantains 2265497@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a lot of friends who have worked at Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon and they all say that Amazon is by far and away the worst working environment they have ever experienced. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265380 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 16:48:03 +0000 MrsSCB 2265380@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs.shinerbock: Yeah, they definitely could have gone into more detail regarding the warehouse issues. I've also been reading a bit more about that and it sounds brutal. This is the most in-depth I've found about the PA situation. It's a few years old at this point, but still interesting in light of this new story. Trying to imagine doing physically demanding work in over 100-degree temperatures, ouch.</p> <p><a href="http://www.mcall.com/news/local/amazon/mc-allentown-amazon-complaints-20110917-story.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.mcall.com/news/local/amazon/mc-allentown-amazon-complaints-20110917-story.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265353 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 16:27:17 +0000 Truth Bombs 2265353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs.shinerbock: I was focusing on your statement that the article would probably get a much stronger reaction from you if it focused on the treatment of blue collar workers. Therefore implying that the treatment of blue collar workers is more worthy of reaction. I apologize if I misunderstood you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265321 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 16:02:19 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2265321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: that is quite a generalization of what I said, but certainly not accurate in the details.</p> <p>I said that my reaction to THIS article was "meh" because the article comes off as people rationalizing why they can't make it. Other articles that I have read recently about the working conditions of the vast majority of Amazon workers (i.e. the warehouse blue-collar workers) have been written in a way that I have a stronger reaction and am reconsidering my use of Amazon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265304 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 15:47:34 +0000 Truth Bombs 2265304@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs.shinerbock: So white collar workers complaining about working environment is just rationalization for why they couldn't succeed but blue collar workers complaining about working environment is cause for you to stop buying from a company? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265303 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 15:43:16 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2265303@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: You're right about the reaction being confusing and after re-reading the article and thinking about it some, I think my personal reaction is kind of "meh" because the article sounds like a bunch of white-collar ex-Amazon employees rationalizing why they couldn't succeed there. </p> <p>Other than the 1 paragraph about the temperatures in the PA warehouse, the article barely mentions how Amazon treats the blue-collar workers. That would probably get a much stronger reaction from me. (And having read some articles about the way they treat the majority of their workers today, I am reconsidering my use of Amazon.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265220 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 14:19:42 +0000 littlebug 2265220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom and step-father both worked for a large company before they retired. My step-father was the VP of Corporate Growth, basically mergers and acquisitions. He was available to upper administration 24 hours a day, on vacation, no matter what. I remember at one point we were on a family vacation in St. Thomas and he was on his phone so much I threatened to throw it in the ocean. </p> <p>I could never have worked in a company that expected that of me. And that's why I don't work in corporate America. Some people are built for that; some people aren't. </p> <p>I found this rebuttal by Jeff Bezos intersting. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/18/technology/amazon-bezos-workplace-management-practices.html?&#038;moduleDetail=section-news-1&#038;action=click&#038;contentCollection=Business%20Day&#038;region=Footer&#038;module=MoreInSection&#038;version=WhatsNext&#038;contentID=WhatsNext&#038;pgtype=article" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/18/technology/amazon-bezos-workplace-management-practices.html?&#038;moduleDetail=section-news-1&#038;action=click&#038;contentCollection=Business%20Day&#038;region=Footer&#038;module=MoreInSection&#038;version=WhatsNext&#038;contentID=WhatsNext&#038;pgtype=article</a> I'd love to hear what would happen if someone actually did email him directly about unfair/harsh management behavior? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265199 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 14:01:40 +0000 BSB 2265199@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Saw this article about a rebuttal from Amazon Exec.<br /> <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/business-33957484?ocid=socialflow_facebook" rel="nofollow">http://www.bbc.com/news/business-33957484?ocid=socialflow_facebook</a></p> <p>If I was not in the hospital, I would ask my friend if her work environment has or will change after these articles were written. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265125 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 13:07:19 +0000 Mrs D 2265125@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This article doesnt bother me at all - although I didnt read the whole thing bc it was too long. </p> <p>This is the reality of many companies and industries in the US.</p> <p>The backstabbing thing is what I find most interesting...does it matter what your colleagues tell your boss about you if you are doing your job and your best? </p> <p>No one is forcing these people to work at Amazon - if they dont like it leave! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265075 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 12:31:33 +0000 MrsSCB 2265075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: I completely agree there is a lot more that needs to be done for these companies to actually be family friendly, and the Netflix thing is far from perfect. Personally, I'd prefer something more concrete to, "Hey, just take whatever time you want!" That's too ambiguous. But I'm also kind of confused about the reaction to this Amazon story. I see people complaining all the time about the terrible mat leave policies in this country, and then something like this comes out and everyone says, "Well, that's not surprising, that's just how it is for everyone." So...do people want things to change for the better, or no? Because if everyone just keeps accepting this as "industry standard" then it's definitely not going to happen. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265020 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 11:41:18 +0000 Truth Bombs 2265020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: I think the key word is "projecting", not actually creating. For instance, everyone was so hyped up when Netflix announced that employees can take up to a full year of maternity leave. But I'm not sure it really will work out to be the wonderful change people are making it out to be. First of all, it was motivated by wanting to retain top talent, not actually wanting to do the right thing for families. They only implemented the change for the streaming side of their business where more skilled/higher paid workers are.... the employees who sort and ship DVDs for that part of the business will not get this benefit. Secondly, making the maternity leave policy so flexible will likely end up hurting a lot of women who will probably be looked upon poorly if they actually opt to take advantage of it. If Marissa Mayer's maternity leave was any indication, very few people will take anywhere near a year of leave. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2265008 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 11:18:45 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2265008@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LindsayLou: &amp; @MrsTiz: It's not just the PNW or the South...the NE (and I would think everywhere in the US) is the same. My brother worked for UPS in college loading up the trucks prior to delivery, and they certainly didn't have air conditioning. I agree that expecting companies to cool a warehouse for their workers is unrealistic. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264977 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 10:43:39 +0000 tinyperson 2264977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't read the original article, but I got a Linkedin email this morning with an Amazon employee's response to that article: </p> <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/amazonians-response-inside-amazon-wrestling-big-ideas-nick-ciubotariu" rel="nofollow">https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/amazonians-response-inside-amazon-wrestling-big-ideas-nick-ciubotariu</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264966 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 10:38:58 +0000 MrsSCB 2264966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: I'm just going by my/friends' experiences in the tech industry (places like AOL, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, etc.) -- while many are very competitive and foster a 24/7 work environment, I was surprised and disgusted by the overall attitude towards employees displayed in the article. Yeah, there are people in every company who backstab their coworkers, but I've never worked somewhere that actually encouraged it by telling you how to secretly rat out other people. And putting someone on a performance improvement plan right after she had a stillborn child is shockingly cold. Regardless of whether this is common or not, it still seems odd to me to just say, "Oh, well, everyone in the industry has to deal with that." Yikes.</p> <p>ETA: and FWIW, my friend who works at Google took five months of maternity leave (she returned in March). As I mentioned, most tech companies these days are working on projecting a much more family and female-friendly environment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264961 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 10:36:00 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2264961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: that was the part that stood out for me as well. Unfortunately I don't think it's limited to Amazon but as someone who had to cancel on a brand new job due to illness, it's disappointing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264957 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 10:30:41 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 2264957@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It sounds like a place I wouldn't want to work, but it isn't surprising. I think they have a big enough name that there will always be applicants so they don't care about turn over and treating employees nicely. It sounds like Disney in that respect. I love Amazon Prime so I'm keeping it. </p> <p>The majority of my in laws and family work in manufacturing in various industries, including my husband. Warehouses rarely have AC unless the product requires refrigeration. Production floors in plants are also not climate controlled. DH spends at least 50% of the day on the floor so in the summer he wears golf polos and dry wicking underclothes. When you take a job in a warehouse or plant you know that it comes with the territory. Most of these types of jobs pay all their employees very well and have safety measures in place to keep people from overheating in the summer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264943 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 10:21:19 +0000 MrsTiz 2264943@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It doesn't stop me from shopping on Amazon, I'll be keeping my prime! There are things that would stop me from using a company, but praising people for being back-stabbing isn't one of them. </p> <p>I live in the hot, humid south and work construction. I've been to my fair share of warehouses and not one of them has had A/C. I'd be surprised if that was the norm, cooling a huge warehouse would be so expensive! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264939 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 10:14:30 +0000 Freckles 2264939@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSCB: I don't think Amazon's treatment towards employees who go on leaves is any different from many American companies. There isn't much protection for employees - just look at the mat leave policies as a good example. My friend who works there knew going in that people leave after 2 years bc of stress and burnout but feel as if the payout at the end (monetary and experience) is worth it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264905 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 09:44:37 +0000 pinkcupcake 2264905@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Eh. Its well known in the Seattle area that Amazon is a cutthroat environment and most ppl don't last very long. It definitely sounds like a stressful environment and one that I definitely would not want to be in, but the people are being compensated fairly and it's not like they have no choice - they can quit and look for a new job if they wish. I have no problems with it. I'm sure if it starts to affect their workforce (ie, they lose quality employees to companies that offer a better quality of life), Amazon will change their environment. </p> <p>I love Prime and Amazon and will always use it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264830 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 07:40:21 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 2264830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It won't change my Amazon shopping habits. I'm not really surprised by the NYT article because I think most companies have some of this going on, and the tech industry is notorious for being high pressure and expecting conformity. This article about Amazon comes to mind: <a href="http://www.theawl.com/2015/01/i-was-an-amazon-chew-toy" rel="nofollow">http://www.theawl.com/2015/01/i-was-an-amazon-chew-toy</a></p> <p>As for the no AC in the warehouses, that's pretty common and there are lots of jobs in the US that are not in an air-conditioned building - the only warehouses I've ever known to be air-conditioned were ones where the product was highly sensitive to temperature, like plastic resins. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264812 Mon, 17 Aug 2015 06:57:20 +0000 Ajsmommy 2264812@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Although some of the things brought to light are terrible and sound extremely unethical to me it's not surprising. I mean back stabbing happens in most jobs and there are always people who will throw someone under the bus no matter what the circumstances are. As previously mentioned I believe that people are aware of what they are getting into and if you are wanting to focus more on a family or a fluffy work environment then you shouldn't work for amazon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264731 Sun, 16 Aug 2015 21:25:03 +0000 Keybee 2264731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't read the whole article, too long, but I'll still shop there. I've been reading a lot about about mellenials in the work place and I feel that they wouldn't do well in this environment, I'd hate to work there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264636 Sun, 16 Aug 2015 17:26:31 +0000 LindsayLou 2264636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband has worked in several warehouses (both as a warehouseman and as an electrician working on a job at a warehouse), and none of them have had ac. At least in this area--PNW--I'm afraid that might be pretty standard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264626 Sun, 16 Aug 2015 17:06:19 +0000 blackbird 2264626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Unfortunately, every company has some of this going on. I've visited numerous plants and warehouses that don't have AC. </p> <p>I'll still be utilizing Amazon and prime because it's too awesome for me not to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nyt-amazon-piece-will-it-impact-your-using-amazon#post-2264605 Sun, 16 Aug 2015 16:01:22 +0000 MrsSCB 2264605@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DesertDreams88: yes, apparently a lot of people do realize it's not a sustainable career choice if the turnover rate is high. I think the only reason operating like this even works for Amazon is because the tech industry is so popular that even with people leaving after two years, there's more waiting behind them. But I do see changes happening -- many tech companies are falling over themselves these days to be more family and female friendly. I think this article is a big blow to Amazon, and I don't think they'll last with that culture. It definitely makes me think twice about being a consumer. As for people siging up for that treatment, I disagree. People may know it's a tough, competitive environment before they start, but I doubt they're aware that they'll be punished for getting cancer treatment... </p>