Amazon workers near Delhi were dripping with sweat. The heat in their warehouse was oppressive, causing exhaustion and dizziness. But the pace of their jobs was unrelenting – they had to pack 240 items an hour.
Amazon India is a prime example of how employers are putting workers in danger during extreme weather. In late May, Delhi’s temperature broke an 83-year record, and temperatures inside Amazon’s warehouse in the region were also sweltering – up to 34°C.
Instead of triggering safety measures such as more mandatory breaks and greater access to water, workers say Amazon forced them to take an oath to meet targets without breaks for water or washrooms under this broiling heat.
Pictures shared by the Amazon India Workers Association (AIWA), supported by UNI Global Union, show employees collapsed on locker room floors because there were no other places to rest.