Consumer patterns uninfluenced by Amazon workplace surveillance
Amazon introduced tracking technology to ensure no employee time is wasted, amidst a spike in online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo illustration by CLARISSE GUEVARRA, Staff Photographer
While local businesses struggle to keep doors open during the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon has faced an issue many companies wish they had: struggling to keep up with surging demands as profits double amidst a spike in online shopping.
To keep up with overwhelming interest, Amazon has implemented a Time Off Task (TOT) surveillance system to track workers’ physical movements in order to meet productivity quotas. Employees are given seconds to perform a task and if an employee fails to complete the task within the parameters, time is added to their accumulated TOT. Their TOT can be used to write up violations or even terminate employees.
Civil rights groups have raised questions about the ethics of this surveillance technology. On Oct. 14, an open statement from the Athena anti-Amazon coalition demanded that the company prohibit the use of surveillance technology on warehouse workers.
Despite privacy concerns, former Amazon warehouse employee Anthony D’Aura recalled his experience working at the company as positive and enjoyable. He said the workplace surveillance incentivized him and his fellow employees to stay motivated.
“They definitely emphasized staying on task and not taking too much time off to chat,” he said. “If they did confront you, it would be in a friendly manner and it would make us feel more comfortable cooperating.”
Michelle Kutsanov, a senior computer science major, said this type of work culture is taxing on employees.
“They don’t want their employees to relax for a single second,” Kutsanov said. “Letting workers know they’re being watched every hour on the hour will make them be more efficient, because they’re scared of the consequences of getting fired.”
Kutsanov feels guilty shopping on Amazon, acknowledging that they provide virtually every niche product in a convenient manner. She said Amazon has created such a positive experience for Amazon Prime subscribers that consumers choose to ignore the worker’s rights violations.
“It's incredibly difficult to be an ethical consumer right now, especially being a broke college student,” Kutsanov said. “I make $15 an hour. I pay rent. Even any fast-fashion brand you’re going to shop at, it’s all bad. So you just close your eyes and ignore what you’re doing.”
Chapman business professor Larry Bourgeois said that Amazon sells so many products to so many people that they appeal to anyone with an internet connection. He claimed the key to avoid any workplace discrepancies is communication.
“If there’s a gray area (in company practices), that’s where communication can be so critical,” he said. “If we feel people are effectively communicating with us, then even when there’s a subtle issue or mistake, it's not going to be as offensive or egregious as if we suspect an ulterior motive.”
Bourgeois added that using surveillance could be effective in monitoring unsafe workplace practices, but if surveillance is used to monitor personal breaks, it can create an issue of privacy invasion.
“It's almost like when you see the lights flashing behind you when you're driving your car,” Bourgeois said. “It might not be you that they're even going to be pursuing, but we get that pit- in-the-stomach-type-feeling that just isn't comfortable.”
Amazon has a history of poor working condition claims, with many employees speaking out about their negative experiences. More recently, employees have criticized Amazon’s response to COVID-19 safety. When asked why people continue to shop with Amazon despite worker’s rights violations, D’Aura said that all consumers see is the product on the website. They don’t often consider how their purchases affect employees behind the scenes.
“I’d say it’s ignorance,” he said. “It’s not like there’s some C-SPAN-type channel where you can tune in and see what Amazon workers are doing.”
