Photo: RONNY HARTMANN / AFP / Getty Images
California became this Wednesday the first state to prohibit retail companies such as Amazon fire warehouse workers for failing to meet quotas that interfere with bathroom breaks and rest , according to a new law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, grew out of Amazon’s push to accelerate product delivery to consumers .
“We cannot allow corporations to put profits above profits. people, ”Newsom said in a press release announcing that he had signed the law.
The measure also bans the online commerce giant and its workers from complying with the health, safety laws that allow employees to establish lawsuits to suspend unsafe dues or reverse retaliation against you s imposed by the companies.
The bill applies to all warehouse distribution centers.
How the law arises
The law, AB 701 , was written by Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena González, lawyer and former union leader.
She accused Amazon of disciplining warehouse workers under the direction of “ an algorithm ” that tracks employee activities and can determine that anything not directly related to the movement of packages is“ off task. ”
Now workers who think that their applied quotas lead to unsafe behavior will be able to request documentation of 90 days on how your work speed meets the quota or not.
Any disciplinary action within that period of 90 days is considered retaliation.
The measure is being taken by employers as excessive since it will increase, as they said, in supply chain problems, they estimate that the cost of living for all Californians will increase and will eliminate well-paying jobs .
According to the Los Angeles County Workers’ Federation, which co-sponsored the bill, California warehouse workers represent a 54% Latino and 9.5% Black .
Amazon employs more than 90, workers in California.
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