The holidays can be tough on a lot of people’s wallets. Apparently, working for a large corporation like Amazon doesn’t limit your financial woes at all. To “help” its employees, Amazon announced that workers at a warehouse in Rock Tavern, New York, could write to the company’s orange blob mascot if they faced financial hardship during the holidays.
A flyer was found at the warehouse that read: “Are you or someone you know facing financial hardship this holiday season? Peccy wants to help! Write a letter to Peccy. If the Peccy team selects you, some of your holiday wishes could come true!”
Warehouse worker Keith Williams was upset by the decision and said the huge company should provide a living wage for workers while spending less on “trinkets” like Peccy the mascot. Williams criticized Amazon further, stating the company will only help out if you write a letter to them and only offer extra pay “when it benefits them.”
Amazon is one of the largest businesses in the world and constantly sees record profits. Despite this, Amazon warehouse employees have complained about poor wages, long shifts and a number of other issues, especially during the holiday season. Depending on the position, Amazon employees earn $17-$28 per hour and have a high rate of work-related injuries.
An Amazon spokesperson said the company had no plan to change its holiday initiative but did apologize to any worker who didn’t find the mascot endearing.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/dec/18/amazon-workers-holiday-wishes-peccy