Amazon Gets New Attention Over Breinigsville ‘Sweatshop’

Several weeks after The Morning Call had an exposé on the working environment at Amazon.com’s Breinigsville facility, a community action website, Change.org, is floating a petition “to end these sweatshop conditions.”

The biggest complaint from employees and former employees was that during the summer the heat was so excessive that several people got ill. An emergency room doctor reported to federal regulators that the warehouse was an 'unsafe environment.' These accusations prompted an inspection by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Amazon responded with a message to customers that it, indeed, tried to “urgently” install industrial air conditioners at the facility.

Since then, the story has circulated worldwide and has caught the attention of many. For example, last week a Pennsylvania personal injury law office posted the story on its blog. A spokesperson at the firm said they did not currently represent a client who had worked at Amazon.com.

Similarly, Change.org started a petition asking Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos to improve the working conditions in Breinigsville.

The petition has 250 “signatures” so far, and is looking to get 500.

In spite of the attention, Amazon is currently advertising job openings, including warehouse fulfillment positions, at its Breinigsville facility.