House committee opens investigation into Amazon’s labor practices.

The Home Committee on Oversight and Reform has opened an investigation into Amazon’s labor practices throughout extreme climate occasions, in line with a letter members despatched to Andy Jassy, Amazon’s chief govt.

“We’re involved by latest reviews that Amazon could also be placing the well being and security of its employees in danger, together with by requiring them to work in harmful circumstances throughout tornadoes, hurricanes and different excessive climate,” stated the letter, signed by the committee chairwoman, Carolyn B. Maloney, in addition to Representatives Cori Bush and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The investigation will deal with the December twister that hit Amazon’s supply station in Edwardsville, Sick., killing six individuals. Most individuals on the facility weren’t Amazon’s direct workers. They had been subcontracted supply drivers, a complication that impeded the response when the authorities couldn’t readily decide how many individuals had been on website. The ability didn’t have a twister secure room, which was not required by constructing code.

Not less than one subcontracted driver was informed to maintain delivering in the course of the storm, in line with textual content messages Bloomberg Information revealed. Amazon stated the subcontractor’s dispatcher didn’t observe its security protocols.

Amazon didn’t reply to a direct request for remark.

Amazon’s labor practices have come beneath growing scrutiny because it has grown to turn into the nation’s second-largest personal employer, after Walmart. The corporate employs 1.1 million employees straight in america, plus many extra by contractors.

The letter requested Amazon for paperwork and communications associated to the way it managed its work power throughout a number of pure disasters, together with fires in California, a warmth wave within the Pacific Northwest and Hurricane Irma in Florida.

“This investigation will inform legislative efforts to curb unfair labor practices, strengthen protections for employees and deal with the consequences of local weather change on employee security,” it stated.