I would say it is another reason to avoid Amazon, except I gather B&N outsources to the same or similar warehouses. I guess it is one hell of a reason to buy through your local independent bookstore if you have one. Or use the library. (My publisher is as thrilled at people getting on a waiting list at their local library as at direct sales, because it increases library orders, which is the core of their business.)

Kat, I'm sorry Grace couldn't get the cannula out today. She's an amazingly strong little girl, isn't she? And Noah is a great big brother.

Burrell, sorry about kitty-Burrell.

Hec, I read that Mother Jones piece yesterday and was so appalled I almost cancelled my Amazon account. But it wouldn't help anyone if I did. That list included almost every online retailer I use regularly, and if I stopped shopping at all of them it still wouldn't help anyone. Something needs to be done to make the working conditions acceptable in those places, but damn, what? Anyone who fights it is up against like three huge industries. And the people working there need those jobs desperately.

Ultimately we need regulations, a more union friendly environment, and more jobs available so they have to improve conditions in order to keep workers. So yeah, in spite of my crack about independent bookstores and libraries, there is no "personal virtue" solution. Not that going via indy bookstores and using libraries hurts when practical.

Sorry to hear about Grace, kat.

Hard to believe there isn't more OSHA requirements to prevent people from getting massive static electricity shocks all day when they're moving books for your Amazon order.

Static electricity isn't dangerous unless there are flammable gases or fine powder in the work space. Workers can wear static dissipative work shoes to disperse shock, and it sounds like she'd feel better in general with a decent set of work shoes. The only way I know of to reduce static electricity on that scale is adding humidity.

I suspect that warehouse would be considerably more efficient with a more ergonomic design and better management, though.

I suspect that warehouse would be considerably more efficient with a more ergonomic design and better management, though.

That's the thing though - with a limitless pool of cheap labor they don't have to do any of that shit. They can fire somebody on the spot and have a new body in there immediately. There's absolutely no reason (economically) to make the design more ergonomic or better for the workers.

There's absolutely no reason (economically) to make the design more ergonomic or better for the workers.

Which is why unions suffer during economic downturns, even though when times are bad is when workers benefit most from union activism. Think how bad things would be right now if we didn't have minimum wage, the eight-hour day, mandatory breaks, and so forth.

I would hope that the article might get some attention from the state labor practices board, though.

right. I saw the made for tv movie about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory when I was in elementary school or junior high and that left a lasting impact on me.

No one can convince me otherwise that we do not need unions as a counterbalance for corporations.

I saw the made for tv movie about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory when I was in elementary school or junior high and that left a lasting impact on me.

Oh shit -- I must have seen that, too, and forgotten. When American Experience did a film about it a couple of years ago, I couldn't figure out why other people didn't know the story at all, but I was so into it. ("Into it" in a horrified way, I mean.)

There's absolutely no reason (economically) to make the design more ergonomic or better for the workers.

A well-designed workplace with workers who have some flexibility is usually cheaper to run, in the long run.