Amazon and taxes

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Rizla

How about they start treating their staff better?

http://the-digital-reader.com/2015/0...neral-meeting/

Quite simply put: I choose not to give much credibility to the handful of articles/complaints reported on by "journalists" who are clearly out of touch with what it means to earn one's way by the sweat of one's brow (and seemingly have an axe to grind). I choose instead to rely on my 3+ decades of experience in manual labor positions to form my opinions of Amazon's "horrible" working conditions. Nothing I've seen/read has yet convinced me that an Amazon warehouse employee has it any worse/better than any other non-union factory/warehouse worker in America. And nothing has convinced me that their treatment should be better simply because Amazon is bigger and wildly successful.

You Amazon apologists seem blind in one eye when it comes to seeing the glaring faults of Amazon's labor practices.

Is anyone who disagrees with your views on Amazon/labor automatically an "apologist?" How nice it must be to be assured that your convictions are righteous, while anyone's who disagrees with you are based on blindness and brand loyalty.

And before you start bleating about Why pick on Amazon? and Other companies do it too, please see my previous post. It's utterly obvious point, but one that the apologists seem to be determined to remain unconscious of.

In keeping with your previous post (and its largely irrelevant point): I haven't used an Amazon ereading device/app in several years, and haven't bought an ebook from them in probably six months. So how can I be an Amazon apologist? Couldn't I just possibly be someone who simply doesn't share the same views as you--instead of the sheep you implied I was with your rude "bleating" comment?

Enjoy your confirmation-bias-fueled hate-affair with a corporate entity that deserves neither love nor hate. I'm sure it will bring you great comfort in the end.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by Phogg

Poor treatment of workers by outside contractors needs to be laid at the feet of said contractors . . .

What need would this satisfy?

To answer my own question, it might satisfy the need of Amazon stockholders for the company to make profits. But even that is doubtful. Retailers that actually hire their manual laborers rather than relying on body shops -- like, say, Costco -- can have pretty good financials.

[Phogg]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

What need would this satisfy?

To answer my own question, it might satisfy the need of Amazon stockholders for the company to make profits. But even that is doubtful. Retailers that actually hire their manual laborers rather than relying on body shops -- like, say, Costco -- can have pretty good financials.

If you hire a construction company to remodel your house and they mistreat their employees then I would disparage the company that you hired, not you.

I accord the same common sense to Amazon. That Amazon has more money than you do is irrelevant to me.

[frahse]

I think it is important to note that Amazon provides a lot of people employment and these people are free to leave if they find their employment onerous.

I personally am grateful to Amazon for the good they do for the economy, the customer, and the employee.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Quite simply put: I choose not to give much credibility to the handful of articles/complaints reported on by "journalists" who are clearly out of touch with what it means to earn one's way by the sweat of one's brow (and seemingly have an axe to grind). I choose instead to rely on my 3+ decades of experience in manual labor positions to form my opinions of Amazon's "horrible" working conditions. Nothing I've seen/read has yet convinced me that an Amazon warehouse employee has it any worse/better than any other non-union factory/warehouse worker in America. And nothing has convinced me that their treatment should be better simply because Amazon is bigger and wildly successful.

Actually, I worked in warehouses and factories a couple times in my 20s, and I was also a temp. The working conditions weren't nearly as bad as what everyone is attributing to Amazon. Perhaps you should know where of you speak before making ad hominem attacks?

Furthermore, I reported on that video with no criticism because I could not come up with a critique that didn't come across as fanboyish hostility.

Your comment here, for example, is what i tried to avoid.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Actually, I worked in warehouses and factories a couple times in my 20s, and I was also a temp. The working conditions weren't nearly as bad as what everyone is attributing to Amazon. Perhaps you should know where of you speak before making ad hominem attacks?

And perhaps your "couple of times in your 20s" is insufficient when compared to my 30+ years of experience working in those types of environments?

What you fail to understand is that I don't consider the working conditions in those places (including those "horrible" conditions described at Amazon) as "bad." I just consider it labor. Sweaty, uncomfortable, sore-muscle labor.

The "Avid cyclist" who couldn't cut it physically is straight-up B.S. IMO. Think about it. An avid cyclist who can't do the work implies that all those who can do the work at an Amazon warehouse (and there are apparently quite a few) are more fit than an "avid cyclist." Right. It's much easier for me to believe that 1) that person wasn't an "avid cyclist," or 2) they were just whining. And anybody who works on their feet knows that blisters don't come from too much walking, they come from ill-fitting shoes.

Furthermore, I reported on that video with no criticism because I could not come up with a critique that didn't come across as fanboyish hostility.

I didn't read your report on the video. There was no point. The video didn't inspire any further analysis.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

And perhaps your "couple of times in your 20s" is insufficient when compared to my 30+ years of experience working in those types of environments?

What you fail to understand is that I don't consider the working conditions in those places (including those "horrible" conditions described Amazon) as "bad." I just consider it labor. Sweaty, uncomfortable, sore muscle labor.

The "Avid cyclist" who couldn't cut it physically is straight-up B.S. IMO. Think about it. An avid cyclist who can't do the work implies that all those who can do the work at an Amazon warehouse (and there are apparently quite a few) are more fit than an "avid cyclist." Right. It's much easier for me to believe that 1) that person wasn't an "avid cyclist," or 2) they were just whining. And anybody who works on their feet knows that blisters don't come from too much walking, they come from ill-fitting shoes.


I didn't read your report on the video. There was no point. The video didn't inspire any further analysis.

I didn't think much of the video either. Documentaries are inherently misleading and short on information, and at 85 seconds long this one - pffft.

I wish I had caught that detail about the blisters; you're right.