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NEW DELHI: Taking suo motu cognisance of a news report alleging anti-labour practices at an Amazon India warehouse in Haryana’s Manesar, National Human Rights Commission has issued notice to the central govt asking for its response within a week.
The commission said the report, if true, raised a serious issue of human rights of workers in violation of labour laws and guidelines issued by the ministry of labour and employment from time to time.
During the proceedings of the case, the report was cited, with workers saying they were made to pledge that they would not take toilet or water breaks until their work target was met.
According to the proceedings of the case, “At one of the warehouses of Amazon India in Haryana’s Manesar, a 24-year-old worker was asked to pledge that he would not take toilet or water breaks until he finished unloading packages from six trucks, each measuring 24 feet long, after their team’s 30-minute tea break had ended”.
The proceedings of the case cited a report on a TV channel on May 16 which showed that in the past month, the warehouse’s ‘inbound team’ had taken the pledge approximately eight times, especially on busy days with higher workloads, as confirmed by employees. The report said the ‘outbound team’, which handles items leaving the warehouse, was reminded of its targets daily.
“A female employee at the Manesar warehouse reportedly stated that no restroom facilities are available on the working sites. Reportedly, the labour associations in India have accused five warehouses in and around Manesar of violating regulations outlined in the Factories Act, 1948. While labour inspectors can demand corrections, there is limited enforcement,” NHRC said.
The news report said one of the workers, who puts in 10 hours a day for five days a week and earns Rs 10,088 per month, said that even if they worked continuously without break, including the 30-minute lunch and tea breaks, they could not unload more than four trucks a day. A woman worker claimed that she kept standing for nine hours daily.
An Amazon India spokesperson said, “The safety and well-being of our employees and associates is our top priority. The infrastructure and facilities at our fulfilment centres are industry leading, and are designed to ensure a safe and comfortable working environment…Employees and associates are free to take informal breaks throughout their shifts to use the restroom, get water, or talk to a manager or HR.”
The commission said the report, if true, raised a serious issue of human rights of workers in violation of labour laws and guidelines issued by the ministry of labour and employment from time to time.
During the proceedings of the case, the report was cited, with workers saying they were made to pledge that they would not take toilet or water breaks until their work target was met.
According to the proceedings of the case, “At one of the warehouses of Amazon India in Haryana’s Manesar, a 24-year-old worker was asked to pledge that he would not take toilet or water breaks until he finished unloading packages from six trucks, each measuring 24 feet long, after their team’s 30-minute tea break had ended”.
The proceedings of the case cited a report on a TV channel on May 16 which showed that in the past month, the warehouse’s ‘inbound team’ had taken the pledge approximately eight times, especially on busy days with higher workloads, as confirmed by employees. The report said the ‘outbound team’, which handles items leaving the warehouse, was reminded of its targets daily.
“A female employee at the Manesar warehouse reportedly stated that no restroom facilities are available on the working sites. Reportedly, the labour associations in India have accused five warehouses in and around Manesar of violating regulations outlined in the Factories Act, 1948. While labour inspectors can demand corrections, there is limited enforcement,” NHRC said.
The news report said one of the workers, who puts in 10 hours a day for five days a week and earns Rs 10,088 per month, said that even if they worked continuously without break, including the 30-minute lunch and tea breaks, they could not unload more than four trucks a day. A woman worker claimed that she kept standing for nine hours daily.
An Amazon India spokesperson said, “The safety and well-being of our employees and associates is our top priority. The infrastructure and facilities at our fulfilment centres are industry leading, and are designed to ensure a safe and comfortable working environment…Employees and associates are free to take informal breaks throughout their shifts to use the restroom, get water, or talk to a manager or HR.”
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