TEAMSTERS, LAWMAKERS WORK TOGETHER TO REIN IN ABUSIVE WAREHOUSE EMPLOYERS

News provided by

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

May 02, 2024, 06:00 ET

New Legislation Would Protect Worker Safety at Amazon

WASHINGTON, May 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, May 2, 2024, the Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien will be joined by Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Tina Smith, and workers to announce the introduction of the Warehouse Worker Protection Act, legislation that would protect workers from abusive and unsafe practices at employers like Amazon.

By forcing its workers to comply with arbitrary and unrealistic production quotas, Amazon has caused on-the-job injury rates to skyrocket and turned what should be middle-class careers into dangerous jobs with high turnover and low wages. The Warehouse Worker Protection Act will help curb Amazon's abusive practices by increasing safety standards, accountability, and transparency around warehouse production quotas.

The bipartisan legislation would require large warehouse employers to disclose quotas that workers are judged by and prevent quotas from interfering with workers' health and safety, such as rest and bathroom breaks.

The Teamsters are leading efforts to hold Amazon and other abusive e-commerce and warehouse employers accountable to American workers, demanding industry standards that put workers' lives and safety over corporate profits.

WHO:	Teamsters General President Sean M, O'Brien, Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) Teamsters Warehouse Division Director Tom Erickson, Amazon workers, and Warehouse Teamsters

WHAT:	Press conference announcing introduction of Warehouse Worker Protection Act

WHEN:	12 p.m. EDT, Thursday, May 2, 2024

WHERE:	Capitol Hill Senate Swamp located on the grass across the drive from the east Senate steps

VISUALS:	Teamsters, lawmakers speaking and holding signs that read "Workers are Not Robots," "Protect Warehouse Workers from Secret Quotas, Dangerous Conditions, High Injury Rates," "Warehouse Worker Safety Over Corporate Profits," and "Support Amazon Workers."