In a viral video, an Amazon employee shared the “reward” they get at the end of an exhaustive shift in the warehouse.
In the video, Destiney (@destineyd1) eats a popsicle in the Amazon warehouse she works at. “It’s like a reward,” she shares.
“Amazon gives us these popsicles after making us work 10hrs filling up a trailer wit 50 pound boxes,” the worker wrote on the video.
Destiney told the Daily Dot via Instagram direct message that she thinks “the Icee doesn’t eliminate the fact they have women and older ppl working in trailers and carrying boxes that are over 50 pounds, but the job offers a number of benefits and will even pay for schooling. I can’t say I hate Amazon cuz they offer a number of shifts and job opportunities when the time comes. It’s one of those last resort jobs that’s almost always available.”
@destineyd1 The working class know this job aint shit 😭 17.50 aint cutting it with the way they slaving me 😂💯 #amazonwarehouse #viral #tiktok #studsoftiktok🌈 #lgbt🌈 #trending ♬ original sound – Shwifty
The Daily Dot reached out to Amazon via email regarding Destiney’s video, which is nearing half a million views and hundreds of comments.
“The working class know this job aint shit 17.50 aint cutting it with the way they slaving me,” the caption read.
Amazon has long been criticized for the poor working conditions in their warehouses, being called unsafe and inhumane. The United States Department of Labor (DOL) has issued citations for various Amazon warehouses, including ones in Colorado, Idaho, and New York, the DOL reported.
Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found the company exposed workers to a high risk of low back injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders.
“Amazon’s operating methods are creating hazardous work conditions and processes, leading to serious worker injuries,” explained Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker in a press release. “They need to take these injuries seriously and implement a company-wide strategy to protect their employees from these well-known and preventable hazards.”
A 2021 New York Times investigation also found that the multi-billion dollar company had also mishandled employee paychecks, sometimes shortchanging workers, putting them in precarious financial situations. The investigation included stories of the consequences of Amazon’s error, including repossessed cars, having to sell wedding jewelry, and mistaken firings because of inaccurate software.
A few people made comments about the temperature in the warehouses and the popsicles.
“It’s been 112 in Texas and I’m working in the ups warehouse loading trailers with not even a damn fan in sight,” a person shared.
“They are so good when you are your dying of dehydration after your picking shift LOL,” another wrote.
Others had something to say about the worker’s wage.
“17.50?? My wearhouse only 16.50 on overnight shifts but anyways the lime icy hits the hardest,” a top comment read.
“We get 16.00 plus 2.90 shift differential. and most of us have gottem 2 raises,” a worker commented.
The Daily Dot previously covered a worker who said a workplace stocking the freezer with ice pops was a sign the company was “about to work the sh*t out of you.” A TikToker in another video agreed, showing their warehouse’s freezer stocked with electrolyte popsicles.
