Amazon Worker Correspondent
I am an Amazon worker at JFK8 in Staten Island. I work pack singles right now because I just got back from an injury.
At JFK8, safety and the pressure to keep working through pain remain serious concerns. Recently, I raised questions about conveyor belt pileups and safe downstacking. We are also helping a pregnant coworker who has an accommodation but is still receiving coaching and being threatened with a write-up.
Amazon is requiring us to work an extra day and adding an extra hour to each shift. Workers are frustrated and exhausted. Longer hours doing physically demanding, repetitive work leave less time to rest and recover. I’m concerned that injuries will increase as the pressure builds during Peak.
On top of that, equipment is not functioning properly, making the work harder and adding delays and frustration while workers are still under pressure to perform. Between malfunctioning equipment, long hours, and constant demands, some days feel like hell. Equipment needs to be maintained and repaired promptly, and workers should not be blamed for problems outside their control.
Another issue is “labor sharing,” where workers are moved between departments, sometimes three or four times in a single day. Constantly switching assignments adds stress and frustration. Favoritism in deciding who gets moved and who gets to stay creates resentment and a toxic environment among coworkers. These decisions need to be fair, transparent, and respectful of workers’ training and medical restrictions.
The exhaustion also extends beyond the warehouse. With more workers during Peak and shifts changing at the same time, public transportation becomes overcrowded. Workers can spend hours waiting to get to work or return home. I have seen workers arguing and competing for seats. After a long, physically demanding shift, getting home becomes another struggle, leaving even less time for sleep and family. We need more frequent buses and transportation planning that matches staffing levels and shift changes.
Workers also worry about what happens afterward. Amazon hires many people for Peak, but once the holiday rush ends, there is fear that the company will start firing workers. People deserve stability and respect throughout the year.
I know personally what it means to work with an injury and struggle to get effective treatment. Workers should not have to choose between protecting their health and keeping their paycheck. We need safe workloads, functioning equipment, enough staffing, adequate breaks, schedules that allow proper recovery, fair assignments, reliable transportation, and respect for medical restrictions and pregnancy accommodations. We also need timely treatment when we get hurt and a union contract that makes these protections enforceable.
We are the people making holiday deliveries possible. Our health and our families should matter.
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Image: Amazon JFK8 in Staten Island, NY. Credit: The Worker.
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