Saudi Arabia’s Dark Connection: The Deception and Exploitation of Migrant Workers in Amazon Warehouses

Amnesty International Report Reveals Shocking Abuse of Contracted Workers in Amazon Warehouses in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

Contracted workers in Amazon warehouses in Saudi Arabia were subjected to deception, exploitation, and appalling living conditions, according to a new report from Amnesty International. The report, titled “Don’t worry, it’s a branch of Amazon,” highlights the failure of Amazon to prevent human rights abuses against these workers, despite receiving numerous complaints over an extended period of time. The abuses suffered by the workers likely amounted to human trafficking, given the deception during recruitment and the subsequent exploitation. Amnesty International’s Head of Economic and Social Justice, Steve Cockburn, calls for urgent compensation for the affected workers and comprehensive reforms to protect workers’ rights in Saudi Arabia.

Deception and Exploitation

Recruitment agents and labor supply companies deceived workers from Nepal who sought employment in Amazon‘s warehouses in Saudi Arabia. These workers paid recruitment fees of around $1,500, often taking high-interest loans to cover these costs. During the recruitment process, the agents and supply companies led the workers to believe that they would be employed directly by Amazon. However, upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, the workers discovered that they were actually employed by third-party contractors. According to one worker, Bibek, the agent assured him, “don’t worry, it’s a branch of Amazon.”

The workers were housed in overcrowded and unsanitary accommodation, often infested with bed bugs. They were subjected to long working hours, constantly monitored, and required to meet strenuous performance targets. Many workers suffered injuries and illnesses as a result of these conditions. Additionally, the contractors frequently withheld part of their salaries and food allowances without explanation, further exploiting them.

Trapped and Abandoned

Most workers signed two-year contracts with the labor supply companies but were often terminated before completing 12 months of work, leaving them in dire situations. The contractors moved these “jobless” individuals to even worse accommodation, stopped paying their salaries, and in some cases, even denied them food allowances. The workers were effectively trapped in Saudi Arabia due to the country’s sponsorship system, known as kafala, which limits their ability to change employers or leave the country without their employer’s permission.

When the workers attempted to return home before the completion of their contracts, the contractors refused to provide the flight tickets required by law. They demanded hefty fines, ranging from $1,330 to $1,600, for the workers to obtain exit papers and return home. Stranded and abandoned, some workers contemplated suicide, desperate to escape the appalling conditions they were subjected to.

Amazon‘s Responsibility and Inaction

Amnesty International’s report emphasizes Amazon‘s failure to protect these contracted workers and prevent the abuses they endured. Despite being aware of the risks associated with labor abuses in Saudi Arabia, Amazon did not take effective measures to address the situation. The company received direct complaints from workers, including through written messages on whiteboards in the warehouses, but these concerns were largely ignored. Some workers faced reprisals from the contractors after making complaints to Amazon.

The report further highlights Amazon‘s failure to adhere to its own policies and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Amazon potentially benefited from the services of victims of human trafficking, as defined by international law and standards.

Recommendations and Urgent Actions

Amnesty International calls for immediate compensation for the affected workers and urges Amazon to conduct thorough investigations into working conditions across its facilities and supply chains. The report recommends that Amazon strengthens its due diligence processes and ensures that workers can report abuses without fear of retaliation. To better protect workers’ rights, the company should reduce its reliance on labor supply companies and hire more staff directly. When labor supply companies are utilized, stricter controls should be implemented to prevent abuse.

Amazon has indicated that it conducted audits of the contractors and found abuses consistent with the report’s findings. The company has also hired consultants to review the labor practices of these supply companies. However, Amnesty International highlights that these measures come years after workers initially raised their concerns.

In addition to compensating the workers, Amnesty International calls on Amazon to provide remedies for all migrant workers who paid recruitment fees and suffered abuses, including those inflicted after their termination from the company. The report emphasizes the need for fundamental reform of Saudi Arabia’s labor system to protect workers’ rights.

Conclusion

The shocking abuses suffered by contracted workers in Amazon warehouses in Saudi Arabia, as exposed by Amnesty International’s report, reveal a deeply exploitative system that violates the fundamental rights of workers. The complicity of both Amazon and the Saudi Arabian government in allowing these abuses to persist is unacceptable. Urgent action, including compensation for the affected workers and comprehensive reforms to protect workers’ rights, is necessary to rectify the injustices faced by these individuals. It is time for Amazon and Saudi Arabia to prioritize the well-being and dignity of all workers and ensure that similar abuses can never happen again.

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