Respect and Safety at Work

Deputy Speaker,

This festive season, in Australia as around the world, Amazon's 1.3 million workers worldwide will face enormous pressure and stress.

The race to the bottom on wages and secure jobs is a global problem with Amazon a leading example of it.

Amazon drivers aren't getting minimum wage, have no rights, and are pressured to drive dangerously overloaded cars to not be sacked.

These workers who bravely filled and delivered orders during the pandemic deserve respect.

But beyond respect, they deserve a safe workplace.

While profits soar for Amazon, workers are left with little or no pay rises and working unimaginable hours.

In too many of their sites across the globe, Amazon workers are often too afraid to speak out or join a union in fear of retaliation.

This week the SDA and TWU are calling for an end to poor working conditions for Amazon workers.

The SDA has long worked to lift safety standards on Amazon sites.

And the TWU is protecting safe standards for transport workers.

I support their call for Amazon to pay their workers fair wages.

Thanks Deputy Speaker.