An Amazon prole in one of its adeptness in New York City has tested positive for covid-19 , the society said , and is in quarantine and receiving aesculapian tending .
A spokesperson confirmed to Gizmodo that the individual puzzle out at its DBK1 facility in Queens , adding that it “ temporarily closed the Queens delivery station for extra sanitation and sent associates home with full remuneration . ” While the company shut the installation temporarily on Wednesday , a spokesperson recite Gizmodo that it ’s now heart-to-heart again .
“ We are support the individual who is now in quarantine , ” Amazon said in a instruction . “ Since the other days of this situation , we have shape closely with local authorities to proactively respond , see we continue to wait on customers while taking care of our associates and we ’re following all rule of thumb from local officials about the operations of our buildings . ”
Photo: Getty
Amazon added that it ’s “ implemented proactive measures to protect employees including increased cleanup at all facilities , maintaining social distance , and add length between driver and client when make deliveries . ” The company also said it has supply “ enhance casual cleaning ” as part of these protocols . It aver it ’s swag break times and encourages maintaining a three - groundwork separation , as recommend by theWorld Health Organization . ( The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , however , commend six feet of spacebetween individuals for social distancing . )
According to theAtlantic , which first reported the font , workers come in for a night shift were get through about the incident Wednesday by someone with the prole - led group Amazonians United . One employee who works at the facility recite the magazine that actor were not notified by direction of the situation but rather from their colleague ( though an Amazon spokesperson abnegate this was the case to the Atlantic ) . When need for further clarification about its notification processes , an Amazon spokesperson recount Gizmodo that it contacts its hourly worker by phone .
The spokesperson said an forecast 20 workers read up on internet site to work scheduled shifts out of more than 120 , adding that a manager was present to notify these employees and air them home with pay . It ’s unclear , however , how nearly two XII worker fail to be notify . The spokesperson connote that these actor somehow plainly missed the call or subject matter — but 20 hoi polloi mysteriously fail to get the memo seems a small high . And if this is true , the company might consider a more effective system for apprise hourly workers who may be putting their health at peril just by exchange into their jobs , much less performing them in a facility full of other people .
But that account statement does n’t agree with accounts of the incident reported by the Atlantic as well as Amazonians United NYC , whichtweetedthat they in effect close down the factory after Amazon “ canceled 9:00 pm but had 10:15 Prime Minister add up to work . ”
2 of 2 Last month we fought Amazon to win our legally entitled sick of leave . Tonight we shut down our storage warehouse to protect each other and our residential area from#coronavirusand Amazon ’s greed#AmazoniansUnited#allpowertothepeoplepic.twitter.com / S8cZhto90q
— Amazonians United New York City ( @NYCAmazonians)March 19 , 2020
A spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for gossip about the divergence between Amazon ’s account of the events and that of its workers .
Earlier this week , Amazonians United NYC called on CEO Jeff Bezos in apetitiondemanding worker protections related to the outbreak of covid-19 , including child care salary and subsidy , increased hazard pay , killing charge per unit - based write - ups , and a facility shutdown with full pay in the consequence that a worker tests positivist for covid-19 .
Most importantly , the prole asked for paid sick leave of absence disregardless of a covid-19 diagnosis , citing a deficiency of memory access to coronavirus testing at this time . Amazon did finally undermine to offeringtwo week of pay leaveto weeks to workers place in quarantine or sick with covid-19 , but on the condition that a health authorization confirm the diagnosis or say the isolation .
“ We demand Amazon make paid nauseous leave of absence available to all its proletarian ( full - time , part - time , and contract ) without demand a positive coronavirus diagnosis or quarantine , ” the orison translate . “ The amount of compensate leave must adequately accommodate particularly vulnerable prole ( elderly , those with immunodeficiencies , etc . ) for as long as they demand , which in many slip will go past the current two - week length . ”
These are basic workers ’ rights that , frankly , should already be in property — but especially so fall in the on-going global pandemic . Demanding Amazon take these measure is n’t just the right matter to do , it ’s vitally of import to mitigate the facing pages of the disease and as well as protect the health and safety of those in the Amazon community .
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