Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing criticism after he announced Friday that the country is teaming up with U.S. tech giant Amazon.com Inc. to distribute personal protective equipment like masks and gloves across the country.
Public Services and Procurement Canada says Amazon will provide the services at cost and without making a profit, while ensuring B次元官网网址渧ast quantitiesB次元官网网址� of masks, gloves and other equipment purchased by the government are provided to frontline health-care workers and others in need as quickly as possible.
Amazon Canada said in an email to The Canadian Press that it is working with Canada Post, Purolator and other local delivery partners to distribute the medical supplies throughout Canada.
Critics of the partnership say the arrangement favours the Seattle-based company, which is facing complaints over an alleged lack of precautions to protect workers against COVID-19.
B次元官网网址�(Amazon) workers are happy that they have work, but what that (announcement) means in turn is that they will be physically pushed to do more under unsafe working conditions,B次元官网网址� said Gagandeep Kaur, a postal worker and organizer with Warehouse Workers Centre, a Brampton, Ont.-based organization helping those in the warehouse and logistics sector.
Kaur and the centre recently started a petition, signed by more than 450 people, claiming that B次元官网网址淎mazon is failing to protect our health.B次元官网网址�
The petition alleges that Amazon, which employs tens of thousands of people in Canada and has fulfilment centres in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, is refusing to give workers paid leave.
B次元官网网址�(The government) made a deal with the Amazon, and they never commented on the compensation of the workers,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 am not happy about thatB次元官网网址hey actually are keeping a blind eye on it.B次元官网网址�
The petition also says Amazon is not telling staff what their plans are if facilities are contaminated or suspected of being contaminated.
It notes that physical distancing is B次元官网网址渘early impossibleB次元官网网址� across Amazon facilities stuffed with hundreds to thousands of employees,B次元官网网址� especially because the number of orders has B次元官网网址渄rastically increasedB次元官网网址� as people stay home.
Some warehouse workers are now putting in 50 hours a week or more, which the petition called B次元官网网址渦nsustainableB次元官网网址� and said needs to stop.
When asked about the petition, Amazon Canada referred The Canadian Press to a number of press releases it has put out about COVID-19.
The releases said Amazon has increased the frequency and intensity of cleaning at its facilities, required employees and delivery service partners to clean and disinfect their work stations and adjusted its practices so fulfilment centre employees can maintain a safer distance from co-workers.
The company staggered shift start times and break times, spread out tables in break rooms and suspended exit screening to ensure ease of movement near main entrances.
Workers, the releases said, are also getting reminders to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds and delivery workers were being asked to clean all frequently touched surfaces in their vehicles and other work equipment, including things like keys, steering wheel, buttons, and delivery devices, at the start and end of their routes.
B次元官网网址淭he Amazon Canada team is proud to partner with the Government of Canada by leveraging our fulfilment network and delivery service partners to ship critical supplies to front-line medical professionals across the country,B次元官网网址� AmazonB次元官网网址檚 country manager Mike Strauch added in a statement.
Complaints like those from KaurB次元官网网址檚 group had Matthew Green, the NDP critic for national revenue, public services and procurement, calling the federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 choice of Amazon B次元官网网址渄isappointing.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淩ecent reports of Amazon avoiding COVID-19 safety measures like physical distancing put workersB次元官网网址� lives at risk and threatens the publicB次元官网网址檚 health amid a pandemic. Cutting corners to increase profits during a health crisis is wrong and should not be rewarded,B次元官网网址� he said, in a statement.
B次元官网网址淲e have an incredibly hard working team at Canada Post that handles national logistics every day B次元官网网址� privatization canB次元官网网址檛 be the answer.B次元官网网址�
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said in a statement while it is happy the personal protective equipment will reach workers, it B次元官网网址渉as serious concerns that the federal government is choosing to make a deal with a private-sector giant that has a track record of neglecting its workersB次元官网网址� health and safety.B次元官网网址�
The decision B次元官网网址渨ill put further strain on workers who are already not properly protected,B次元官网网址� the union said, noting worker protection should be a federal government priority.
B次元官网网址淭he transfer of essential services to the private sector can and will contribute to the erosion of health and safety, and worker rights.B次元官网网址�
Canada Post said in an email that it is B次元官网网址減leased to support this important initiative to help ensure our vital health-care workers across the country get the safety supplies they need.B次元官网网址�
Purolator added, B次元官网网址渨eB次元官网网址檙e proud to play a role in delivering millions of face masks and other critical PPE to Canadian hospitals across the country.B次元官网网址�
Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press
Like us on and follow us on .
