The National Labor Inspectorate announced on Wednesday that the inspected Amazon centers found deficiencies in occupational health and safety documentation, which at this stage makes it impossible to assess whether employees work beyond permissible standards. Trade unions argue that overloads are a fact.
Wednesday's press conference in front of the Amazon plant in Sosnowiec was attended by the Speaker of the Sejm, the head of the New Left, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, and the Chief Labor Inspector, Marcin Stanecki.
Czarzasty emphasized that working conditions of people in Poland are very important. – I appeal to all trade unions and all social labor inspectors. Pay attention to situations where people work beyond their strength, where people work beyond the norm, said Czarzasty. – Things can be better in many workplaces – he added.
He thanked the trade unions, the PIP management and their field inspectors for their cooperation in “conducting a reliable, nationwide inspection at Amazon plants.” It was on Czarzasty's initiative, after the July intervention with the head of the National Labor Inspectorate regarding the death of a 48-year-old Amazon employee in Sosnowiec, that nationwide inspections of the company's workplaces were initiated.
Results of Amazon's nationwide inspection
The National Labor Inspectorate announced the results of a nationwide inspection carried out in nine Amazon logistics centers in Poland. The inspectors mainly pointed out the lack of appropriate and up-to-date documentation in the field of occupational health and safety – including occupational risk assessment – which would allow for a clear determination of whether there are any irregularities towards employees in the plants.
– In order to clearly determine whether employees perform work beyond permissible standards, there must be an appropriate basis in documentation. In some of the inspected plants, such documentation was out of date or did not cover all processes – pointed out Marcin Stanecki. As he explained, occupational risk assessment is a document that determines the threats occurring at workplaces, the level of stress on the body and preventive measures. The inspection ordered it to be updated and supplemented, including the correct determination of employees' energy expenditure.
PIP announced a re-inspection after implementing the recommendations. Only on this basis will it be possible to clearly determine whether any violations of the standards regarding physical load have occurred.
Representatives of the Amazon Confederation of Labor claimed that in four Silesian centers – w Sosnowiec (KTW1, KTW4), Gliwice (KTW3) and Gorzyczki (KTW5) – in more than half of the 371 analyzed work processes, energy expenditure was not properly measured. According to trade unionists, where measurements were performed, they were carried out unreliably, among others. without taking into account some activities requiring physical effort. In their opinion, the lack of reliable data may affect, among others: on the issues of breaks, regenerative meals and work organization.
Trade unionists also pointed to cases not recognizing injuries as accidents at work in some plants. – People often work on junk contracts. If an accident occurs, it happens that such a contract is not extended later. This raises serious concerns about the real protection of the employee – said Blanka Hasternok, chairwoman of OPZZ Konfederacja Pracy w Amazona, Company Social Labor Inspector.
The National Labor Inspectorate informed that it is analyzing these signals, including in terms of a possible notification to the prosecutor's office in connection with Art. 218 of the Penal Code (violation of employee rights). A decision on this matter has not been made yet.
A tragedy occurred in Sosnowiec
The conference was held in Sosnowiec, where last year a 48-year-old employee of one of the centers died during his shift. This event became an impulse for parliamentary intervention and for the matter to be supervised by the National Labor Inspectorate.
Amazon employs approximately 2.5 thousand people in Sosnowiec. people, and in the whole of Poland – several thousand.
In response to PAP's request for a comment on Wednesday's conference in Sosnowiec, Amazon emphasized that the company “treats the findings of the National Labor Inspectorate's inspection with the utmost seriousness” and its recommendations are “systematically analyzed and implemented by Amazon in accordance with the agreed deadlines.”
According to the company's representative, Aleksandra Zarychta-Kuzalska, Amazon analyzes the work results of its employees in a “thoughtful” way. “Firstly, we set goals based on the past results achieved by employees – what we know is fair and achievable. Secondly, we take into account factors that may affect effectiveness,” we read.
As noted, “accidents at work do not affect the decision to continue cooperation with the employee.” It was emphasized that post-accident proceedings “are conducted by post-accident teams in accordance with applicable legislation.”
Zarychta-Kuzalska added that Amazon remains open to “dialogue with all stakeholders – employees, their representatives and state authorities – to jointly build a safe and employee-friendly work environment.” (PAP)
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