Muslim Amazon workers reportedly protest about lack of time to pray
On December 14 a group of about 100 Muslim workers employed at Amazon’s fulfillment center in Shakopee, together with supporters chanted “Hear our Voice,” as they protested against alleged unfair working conditions.
The protestors voiced their dissatisfaction with Amazon’s unequal wages, lack of diverse leadership and how productivity gets managed at it's massive Minnesota facility.
There's no law they have to work at Amazon... https://t.co/zrPyE0Iv5Q
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) December 17, 2018
Khadra Hassan, an employee, commented through an interpreter:
“The head of Amazon [Jeff Bezos] doesn’t know who his workers are or what they’re faced with. We are not getting what we need from Amazon.”
Find out more on our Twitter account @amomama_usa.
While Khadra was three months pregnant, she said she passed out from the heat one day while lifting boxes and started bleeding, almost losing her baby.
These workers are so powerful! ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾#HearOurVoicehttps://t.co/EzfanINOJo
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) December 17, 2018
After seeking medical assistance from Amazon’s health office, Khadra got denied because her benefits had not kicked in yet. Denying all claims a spokeswoman for Amazon, Ashley Robinson said:
“Everyone gets full comprehensive health insurance starting from day one. And we have upward mobility. They’re pretty great jobs, and we’re proud of our record.”
A single mother of two, Khadra Ibrahin, and Somali immigrant that has worked at Amazon’s Shakopee fulfillment center for two years said she dreads going to work every day and elaborated:
“Every time I walk through those doors, I am filled with this dread that tonight is going to be the night that I get fired. I have never felt threatened by a workplace like this before. I want to keep this job to provide for my family, and I am also working as hard as I can, but you can’t live under this type of pressure. The way Amazon pushes people is not moral.”
Somali leaders with the Muslim Coalition of ISAIAH (MCI), Council on American-Islamic Relations of Minnesota (CAIR MN) and community allies are gathered outside the Amazon fulfillment center in Shakopee to protest racial disparities and other working conditions. pic.twitter.com/9Jc4OCIHaA
— Liz Sawyer (@ByLizSawyer) December 14, 2018
Multiple meetings got held between management of Amazon and leaders of the Twin Cities’ East African immigrant community. Concerns regarding religious accommodation and living in fear for the jobs got spoken about, but so far nothing has changed.
Ibrahin also said that workers in the warehouse get strict hourly packing quotas and get pressured to “make rate,” the rate changes continually depending on the season’s demand.
These poor Somali refugees having to work & meet goals. This must be worse than the horror they fled, or something. #ShutUpAndDoYourJob
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) December 17, 2018
If having to adhere to work requirements everyone else must meet is so awful you could always quit or return to Somaliahttps://t.co/8IOF5tkKhb
The current packing rate in the warehouse is 240 boxes an hour, although it has been as high as 400 per hour. Falling behind on the hourly packing rate causes a write up from the manager, and can lead to getting fired.
Dozens of police officers lined the front entrance of Amazon during the peaceful protest. However, their intervention was not required as they eventually retreated to the street. No one got arrested during the workers' protest.
After all, Muslims arrived with Columbus and wanted the same rights as everyone else. They apparently even helped build the White House, as it got made during a time where Muslim people were slaves, and slaves built the iconic building.
Proud to stand with @Amazon workers in Shakopee as they stand up and fight for fair treatment and safe, welcoming working conditions.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) December 14, 2018
We get what we organize for!#HearOurVoice pic.twitter.com/2ArpHMYGAN
Thomas Jefferson once said that he knows the American experiment was a success if they can get a Muslim as president. But all these workers at the Amazon warehouse want is fair pay and working conditions that allow them to be able to honor their religion.
Unrelated events that took place recently also forced Amazon to make some changes regarding holding third-party packages from sellers.
The company had seen a notable rise in safety violation reports, from only two reported in 2009 in comparison to 42 violation reports this year.
Amazon will start penalizing sellers who ship unsafe packages to its warehouses as violations mount. https://t.co/9zrcMiNPKJ
— CNBC (@CNBC) December 7, 2018
The most recent incident occurred on December 5 when a container filled with bear repellent got punctured and left several workers exposed to chemicals that cause severe burns.
Resellers who do not comply with safety regulations will be charged penalty fees to hold third-party sellers responsible for the safety aspect of their packages.
