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    phunkshunHamilton Nolan
    4/30/14 12:40pm

    "Like most people, I started by going to Integrity Staffing."

    Orwell couldn't have written this shit any better.

    I'm so glad I don't work in a place that requires drug testing or using an actual time clock. That shit is so dehumanizing and the owners damn well know it. Playing start time tricks with your damn employees is low as well...and the best part? Bezos doesn't have to sully the name of Amazon because it's all going through an affiliated firm.

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      whitejellybeanlostherkeyphunkshun
      4/30/14 12:46pm

      When I worked at Wal Mart (over 10 years ago) they were time thieves and the time clock was their weapon. I was too young and stupid to know it was illegal but I worked in a non-24 hour store and they closed at 11:30. They would have all their cashiering staff (me!) clock out at midnight and then make us clean up the store after hours, off the clock. They locked the front doors so we could not leave. There were nights during the holiday seasons I didn't get to leave until after 3am.

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      Hamilton Nolanwhitejellybeanlostherkey
      4/30/14 12:59pm

      Thank god this widespread practice is finally getting some attention in the form of class action lawsuits.


      http://gawker.com/fast-food-work…

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    Go HawkeyesHamilton Nolan
    4/30/14 12:57pm

    So basically, "Boo hoo I'm an unskilled worker who works at an employer whose biggest mode of profit is cost control and uses industry standard practices to operate the most efficient supply chain as possible for the least amount of money while employing mostly people who require a lot of hand holding and structure to adequately complete the job given their lack of skill and general intelligence."

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      LiberalsWllGetMadatThisUsrnmeGo Hawkeyes
      4/30/14 1:12pm

      Also "Wahh they didn't schedule me exactly how I wanted"

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      Go HawkeyesLiberalsWllGetMadatThisUsrnme
      4/30/14 1:16pm

      Oh and don't forget, "[Sobs] and they provided me a job with a decent wage and benefits in a down economy when even college educated people are having a hard time finding employment."

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    dkmannHamilton Nolan
    4/30/14 12:49pm

    It's a fucking job, not recess. If jobs were fun, relaxing, morally and psychologically pleasing everyone would have job. They suck. If you don't like your job, go get another job... which this guy did. He didn't have to work at Amazon, but chose to in order to "hang out" with his sister. Are you fucking kidding me?

    This does not make a very good case for Amazon being evil. It makes a case that American workers are lazy fucks who want money for nothing and their chicks for... never mind.

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      BAM5dkmann
      4/30/14 1:01pm

      I don't think you fully understand this story. He wanted to work the same shift as his sister so they could carpool and so he could see her—presumably because it is nice to see a friendly face. Nowhere does he say that he took the job just to hang out.

      And I love when people excuse terrible business labor practices by labeling workers as "lazy." I hope, for your sake, that you always have a boss who is good to you.

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      killthecapitalistsdkmann
      4/30/14 1:30pm

      They're also pussies who refuse to stand up for themselves and say "fuck off" when their all-powerful employer tries to screw them. We used to have ways to prevent employers from exploiting the shit out of employees but we gave that up because unions "are communist" or some such shit. We are a shamefully wimpy society full of scared little cowards who simply let themselves be used and abused.

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    sizor_sisterHamilton Nolan
    4/30/14 1:13pm

    It's interesting how people love to criticize other people for shopping at Wal-Mart, and then turn around and shop at Amazon. I'm getting to the point where I can't really tell the two apart.

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      peanuttysizor_sister
      4/30/14 1:51pm

      I make a point of not shopping at Wal-Mart, but it's pretty easy because we have other options where I live (SF Bay Area). My question is, where *should* I shop for everyday stuff? The only "ethical" place I know of is Costco, and we try to buy everything we can from there, but they don't carry every single thing we need to buy - not to mention the inherent convenience of delivery for a couple where both work full-time plus commuting. I've been trying to balance out my Amazon purchases with Google shopping, with the idea that at least there will be 2 behemoths instead of 1 in the doorstep delivery game. I'm also all about the Trader Joes, I have a couple friends who work there and they say the employees are treated really well.

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      ExtraExtrasizor_sister
      4/30/14 2:02pm

      Wal Mart is still far worse. While Amazon isn't good, they're worse by a huge margin.

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    toothpetardHamilton Nolan
    4/30/14 12:37pm

    That CEO salary isn't going to pay itself.

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      Pugslehtoothpetard
      4/30/14 1:15pm

      Bezos is actually one of the lowest paid CEOs in America (80k base salary, and has never received a cash bonus higher than his salary). His wealth comes from his AMZN stock. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-1…

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      toothpetardPugsleh
      4/30/14 1:23pm

      That stock price isn't going to boost itself.

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    DuffinHamilton Nolan
    4/30/14 12:53pm

    Ugh, my fiance used to work at Amazon packing totes all day long. It's funny listening to him tell me how he figured out more about the computer system than his bosses and about how he found better, more efficient ways of tracking things, but the managers never listened. And then a few months later, his suggestions would be implemented, but the manager he mentioned them to got all the credit for it. Typical horrible management there at Amazon.

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      Tucker973Duffin
      4/30/14 1:42pm

      Well, if that's the complaint, than he shouldn't be working for anyone but himself. Managers stealing ideas and presenting them as their own isn't exactly limited to Amazon, or retail, or any type of job, anywhere, ever. That's pretty much just your standard "underling" complaint in any organization.

      I'm not saying Amazon doesn't treat their workers like shit, but that is definitely a near-universal issue. Managers who *don't* do that are the minority.

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      DuffinTucker973
      4/30/14 2:46pm

      That's not the point. The point is they basically yelled at him for questioning their perfect system and told him it was a stupid idea and then took it afterward. Either way, he no longer works there.

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    burnerclassicmoviesHamilton Nolan
    4/30/14 12:38pm

    Sponsored Post?

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      ziggybloodlustHamilton Nolan
      4/30/14 1:13pm

      I'm not defending Amazon, but this kind of time theft is common to most every job where the employees clock in.

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        talktotalktoziggybloodlust
        4/30/14 3:44pm

        I work for a large high profile company, and if working off the clock was ever quietly endorsed, I can tell you it certainly was squashed long ago via hungry lawyers. We clock in even if a manager is just going to talk to us. I haven't had any issues with large, liability conscious companies, it's the small ones with short sighted, risk aloof management that pull shit like this.

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        ZephyrMarieziggybloodlust
        4/30/14 6:54pm

        Yep. The company I work for quite literally steals time. They change employees hours if they clock in more than 3 minutes early or more than 3 minutes late and say it's 'company policy'. Most of our employees are recent immigrants who don't speak any english and the boss will just fire them if they get 'uppity' with zero remorse whatsoever. They're trying to unionize right now and it's reallllly not going well. The company has already said they'll shut down if the union gets passed. Which is illegal. They don't care.

        I've got a job interview on Monday and another on Thursday. I absolutely cannot wait to get out of that place.

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      cayenneHamilton Nolan
      4/30/14 2:08pm

      As a small business owner, I find this a very interesting article. I employ 8 people and pay pretty good wages(well over the minimum), am flexible with hours etc. Each of my employees sends me the amount of hours they have done per week at the end of the week. Sometimes neither myself or partner has any way of knowing if they were there on time, except it's the catering business so we'd know if the kitchens were empty! My business partner would prefer we had a punch in system but I think that it's better to trust your employees and go from there. Maybe I'm stupid but I feel that respect breeds respect. Yes, our profit margins are low but we are giving 8 people a good job and that is a pretty good feeling. I guess if I was employing thousands of people then my ideas might change though!

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        snaggelpusscayenne
        4/30/14 2:48pm

        As somebody's who's had a bunch of crappy jobs and a bunch of great jobs in both offices and more labor intensive jobs, companies that treat employees well always leads to happier employees (Google is the extreme when it comes to that philosophy). Treat employees like crap and they just get disgruntled and angry and more prone to slacking off. Respect breeds respect so good for you for thinking that way.

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        everybodysmilecayenne
        4/30/14 3:25pm

        Funny how that works, isn't it? Treat employees with respect and pay them well and most will actually do a great job and prove your trust and respect were warranted.

        Make them punch a clock and treat them like criminals and they'll look for any way they can to cheat you.

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      Mistakes were madeHamilton Nolan
      4/30/14 1:01pm

      I was reading through this story but then I remember that I was getting a package via Amazon Prime today. I had to go check the tracking information!

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        hbuzzellMistakes were made
        4/30/14 1:03pm

        Me too, just got an email it arrived. Amazon is so much better than shopping in brick and mortar because I don't have to head into one of those horrific stores.

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        Tucker973hbuzzell
        4/30/14 1:45pm

        I know, it's so much better when the people getting stepped on are tucked away in some invisible warehouse somewhere. I feel for these folks, I do... but I swear to god, if that guy taking that extra 3 minutes to scan something is responsible for making my shit miss the shipping deadline, I say give him the axe!

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