Even though human beings are by far the smartest species our world has ever seen, we do have a tendency to lose track of things every once in a while. This brings a whole lot of consequences into the picture, and on some occasions, these consequences can get a little out of hand. Hence, to avoid such a detrimental scenario, the world would bring dedicated regulatory bodies into the fold. The move paid off big time, as soon enough, we were living within a much more organized reality. However, it all went back a step once technology arrived on the scene. Technology’s emergence posed a threat mainly because of the way it gave rule breakers a clear runway to conceal their misdoings, therefore nullifying the regulatory authority from every direction. This birthed a phase where Big Tech companies would freely exploit the world for their self-centered purposes, but by the looks of it, the stated phase is now nearing its due end. In fact, while recent cases already do a lot to validate that, one proposed bill should aid our cause even further.
New York State Senator, Jessica Ramos and Assembly Member, Latoya Joyner have officially proposed a new bill, which is structured around limiting the productivity quota for warehouse workers. Named as Warehouse Workers Protection Act, the bill provides a fitting response to the questionable labor practices carried out by companies like Amazon. In case you are not aware, Amazon and many other Big Tech companies use algorithm-driven quotas to ensure maximum productivity, but in order to fulfill these quotas, they often end up sacrificing workers’ safety. The new bill, if approved, will cut back on it through a rather a well-rounded effort. To give you an example, apart from promising adequate amount of rest periods and bathroom breaks, the bill will make it mandatory for all the employers, who have at least 50 workers in a single warehouse or about 500 workers statewide, to detail their productivity quota in an extensive description. The employers will also be obligated to describe the development process of their quotas and how they are used for disciplinary purposes.
The proposal comes after National Council for Occupational Safety and Health deemed Amazon as one of the most dangerous US workplaces for the third time this year. With an injury rate that is double the industry average and a piling death count, Amazon highlights a desperate need for more workers’ protection, and New York’s new bill will look to plug that gap sooner rather than later.
