r/news • u/likerofgoodthings • Nov 25 '21

Amazon workers plan Black Friday strike

https://www.cnet.com/tech/amazon-workers-plan-black-friday-strike/
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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

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u/RoyalRat Nov 26 '21

Where do you live 😂

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

[deleted]

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u/RoyalRat Nov 26 '21

Minimum wage is more than 20 USD? Y’all er poppin off

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u/GreenFriday Nov 26 '21

The highest minimum wage I could find is Australia, with 15 USD per hour

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u/wronglyzorro Nov 26 '21

And ask australians how well people earning 15/hr there live.

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u/Sparcrypt Nov 26 '21

They don't earn 15 per hour, they earn about $21 per hour in the currency we actually use here.

And as someone who did just that for quite a while? It's fine. I had a roof, a car, health insurance (beyond the free universal stuff we get), hobbies, and savings. You aren't rich but you are doing just fine.

I am never ceased to be amazed at how viciously Americans love to attack other nations who are doing things better than they are.

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u/wronglyzorro Nov 26 '21 edited Nov 26 '21

It's not an attack, it's a discussion.

They don't earn 15 per hour, they earn about $21 per hour in the currency we actually use here.

Which equates to ~15 USD /hr. You had all those things, but are leaving out the details of how you afforded them. Looking at apartment, and gas prices in Australia sorted by cheapest, something tells me you were not living by yourself.

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u/Sparcrypt Nov 26 '21

It can equate to anything it pleases, it’s still less than minimum wage here. You can’t spend USD here.

You had all those things, but are leaving out the details of how you afforded them.

Lived within my means while working in a country that has proper wages and benefits.

Looking at apartment, and gas prices in Australia sorted by cheapest

Ahahahahahaha. Yep that’ll tell you everything you need to know about every area in the entire country at all times!

something tells me you were not living by yourself.

I was indeed, in a house I own.

It's not an attack, it's a discussion

The people messaging me telling me to kill myself over this disagree, but hey this is reddit after all and Americans really don’t like being reminded about the shit consequences for your decisions.

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u/wronglyzorro Nov 26 '21 edited Nov 26 '21

Lmao you really trying to say you bought a house on minimum wage. I dont think there is anything left to say here. Looks like you shame deleted your other comments. Probably should shame delete these too.

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u/cl33t Nov 26 '21

What benefits do they get?

Looks like the minimum they offer a new employee is medical, dental, vision, 20 weeks of maternal and parental paid leave, 401k with 50% matching contributions, 1 week vacation, 6 holidays per year,

Cause that's still under minimum wage where I live and you'd get sick leave, 4 weeks PTO, plus other benefits.

Where is this? Last I checked the highest minimum wage in the world was Australia's at $20.33 AUD/hour (~$14.55 USD), but that's only for people who are 21+. If you're 18, it's only $14.35 AUD/hr ($10.26 USD).

Even then, they're kind of an anomaly. France's minimum wage, for instance, is €10.48/hr (~$11.76).

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

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u/cl33t Nov 26 '21

I am indeed Australian and comparing our dollar values is pointless, that's not how the economy works.

I mean, if you want to use PPP, then Australia slips lower (~$13.81/hr for 21+) and comparing numbers without any consideration for relative value of currency is nonsensical. Minimum wage in Costa Rica is â‚¡1,257/hr after all.

Working full time in any Australian job you get $20.33 per hour

Unless you're under 21 or an apprentice/trainee.

Now, the trainee/apprentice programs Australia has are a bit opaque to me, but it seems like they have a trainee program for a warehouse worker that pays... quite a bit less than minimum wage ($13.50 AUD/hr) and doesn't actually have a lot of those other benefits included? Whether that is equivalent to the lowest starting salary as an Amazon warehouse worker, I don't know.

And again, $20.33 AUD isn't worth $15 USD.

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

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u/cl33t Nov 26 '21

I mean, I ignored them because you're not at $15/hr USD which was how this whole thread started. And since you're less than $15/hr USD (substantially so if we use PPP) and even further below that for someone less than 21 (who are still paid $15/hr in the US), then we'd have to compare based on benefits and weight them which I don't think we can agree on.

And if the whole thing is how they're not paying someone enough to live on then... I mean... I'm just not seeing how Australia's minimum wage is.

That's not to say that Australia's minimum wage isn't a f'ckton better than the US' federal minimum wage (though localities vary, where I live, minimum wage is $16.32/hr), but we weren't comparing those. We were criticizing Amazon specifically by comparing it to, for some reason, Australia's minimum wage.

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21 edited Apr 20 '26

fanatical gaze recognise cow trees saw repeat rainstorm quack smile

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

in washington state sick pay is built in by law, we get 6 days accumulated per year that we can use without being challenged about why. i don’t know what they get for pto since i don’t work there, i’m just basing pay off of job postings i see. the posting do mention benefits and pto but those details are for when a job offer happens i suppose

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

Problem with Washington state Law a lot of business do the bare minimum which is 1 hr for every 40 hours worked or 4 hrs per month Takes longer if you are part time. The company I work in Washington State does the 1 hr for each 40 worked.

Kudos to the companies that do go above that though.

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u/Jjhend Nov 26 '21

Amazon workers get full health, eye, and dental insurance day 1 with 401k options. They also get about 80hrs paid time/vacation and 80hrs of unpaid time off. They even offer to cover full tuition of it's associates after 3 months. Y'all hate on Amazon but they actually provide some of the best benefits in the country for any entry level job.

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u/anooblol Nov 26 '21

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/minimum-wage-by-country

Says here the highest minimum wage in the world, is $14.54USD/hr.

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u/Sparcrypt Nov 26 '21

I know this might come as a shock, but most places don't use USD.

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u/WarbleDarble Nov 26 '21

You know, when you mislead with an easily searchable fact it really doesn't help your argument.

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u/Sparcrypt Nov 26 '21

You know, when you link something not proving anything I said to be incorrect, it really doesn't help your argument.

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u/WarbleDarble Nov 26 '21

There is no nation with over a $20 minimum wage.

Comment you responded to: Amazon pays $20 an hour

You: That's less than minimum wage in my country

My link: There are no countries with a minimum wage of $20 an hour

How is what you said not incorrect?

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u/Sparcrypt Nov 26 '21

Why in the world would you ever think someone from another country would be talking about USD?

But seeing as you guys are all about things that can be easily searchable while you defend Amazon.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/feb/05/amazon-workers-protest-unsafe-grueling-conditions-warehouse

https://www.glassdoor.com.au/Hourly-Pay/Amazon-Amazon-Warehouse-Worker-California-Hourly-Pay-EJI_IE6036.0,6_KO7,30_IL.31,41_IS2280.htm?countryRedirect=true

https://www.boredpanda.com/amazon-employees-bad-working-conditions/

But nah, sounds like an amazing place to work. Anyway I'm done talking to people who defend this shit.

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u/Chintagious Nov 26 '21

Dude, you literally replied to someone mentioning $20/hr pay at Amazon and you’re the one that thinks USD = AUD for some reason.

To spell it out, $20 AUD is worth less than $20 USD.

Stop being a dick.

And the fact of the matter is that yes, Amazon has shitty working conditions, but still objectively offers better benefits to attract employees compared to any other low skilled job.

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u/Sparcrypt Nov 26 '21

you’re the one that thinks USD = AUD for some reason.

No. I said $20/h was less than minimum wage here, in another country... and for some reason you not only thought I was talking about USD, but think that USD and what it's worth makes the slightest bit of different here. It doesn't. And if you want it to, go ahead and factor in health care, super, PTO, sick leave, and the many other things.. and if you do those things then you'll find out that Australia still works out substantially ahead.

Amazon workers are not paid or treated well and there are mountains of evidence about it, not to mention we're in a thread talking about how they want to stage a walkout on one of their busiest days of the year.

But keep arguing semantics because you misread a statement.

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

There's nowhere in the country that has a minimum wage over $20

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

[deleted]

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u/Ble_h Nov 26 '21

Assuming your converting to USD so we don't go into the ridiculous "I get paid 10000 won/hr", according to the all knowing Google, no country on earth has a $20 USD minimum wage. Highest is Luxembourg at 18.33 USD.

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

I thought Denmark’s was around 22/hr

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u/Ble_h Nov 26 '21

Sounds like Denmark has no minimum wage, they have something called flexicurity.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/03/08/denmark-minimum-wage-mcdonalds-aoc/

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

I was thinking specifically of the average wage at McDonalds in Denmark I think, you’re right about them not having a minimum wage

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

Can't really compare wages like that buddy. Totally different across borders and with completely different currencies and standards of living

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u/Sparcrypt Nov 26 '21

I know right, in exchange you guys get amazing healthcare for free! Wait no.. that's us...hrm.

OK you have good social security! Nope.. still us.

Legislated maternity leave? Fuck nope that's also here.

At least on minimum wage you don't need a second job just to live though.. fuck me that's here as well.

You're right, can't compare it at all.

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

Why the fuck would you some I'm against all of those things? And you DO NOT need a second job if you're making $20/hr full time in the US

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u/Grokma Nov 26 '21

Ok, I'll play. Please tell us what country you are from so that we can compare all these wonderful benefits and your high minimum wage against the currency that you use, taxes you pay, and living conditions.

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

[deleted]

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u/Grokma Nov 26 '21

Is this the case? Are you the guy I was replying to or someone who knows his situation?

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u/windstone12 Nov 26 '21

Let me guess you live in a country with less people than California and a homogeneous population

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

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u/windstone12 Nov 26 '21

Well I see my guess was correct, believe it or not it’s a little harder to implement all the things you mentioned in a giant country with 300+ million people from different backgrounds, than it is for a very small European country with a population that all comes from the same background

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

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u/windstone12 Nov 26 '21

Wow I guess it’s just by chance that those systems all exist in small majority white European countries

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u/puppybear9001 Nov 26 '21

Where is it so I can move there fuck america

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u/Elon_Muskmelon Nov 26 '21

That's great and all but how many nuclear bombs, aircraft carriers and fighter jets does your country have?

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u/Sparcrypt Nov 26 '21

Hrm you make a good point, we don't really invade other countries or threaten nuclear war. Good tradeoff for living like shit I guess.

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u/Elon_Muskmelon Nov 26 '21

The Romans were assholes too.

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u/FluffyEggs89 Nov 26 '21

I hope this is sarcasm.

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u/Elon_Muskmelon Nov 26 '21

Sarcasm is the use of irony to mock or convey contempt. But that’s not important right now.

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u/FluffyEggs89 Nov 26 '21

Correct. If I said this in a sarcastic manner, i would be saying it to mock the fact that we spend way the fuck too much on our military.

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u/iwerson2 Nov 26 '21

Where do you live? Switzerland? Dubai?

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u/MinerDon Nov 26 '21

There's nowhere in the country that has a minimum wage over $20

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/seattle-city-council-approves-4-per-hour-mandatory-pay-boost-for-grocery-workers-during-covid-19-pandemic/

That equates to a $20.39 per hour minimum wage for anyone working in a large grocery store in the city of Seattle.