Exploiting the Vulnerable: The Dark Reality of Migrant Workers in Saudi Arabia

Amnesty International Report Reveals Appalling Conditions Faced by Contracted Workers in Amazon Warehouses in Saudi Arabia

Amnesty International has released a new report exposing the abuse and exploitation of contracted workers in Amazon warehouses in Saudi Arabia. The report, titled “Don’t worry, it’s a branch of Amazon,” details how these workers were deceived by recruitment agents and labor supply companies, cheated of their earnings, housed in squalid conditions, and restricted from finding alternate employment or leaving the country. The abuses suffered by these workers are likely to amount to human trafficking and require immediate attention from both Amazon and the Saudi Arabian government.

Deception and Exploitation

The investigation by Amnesty International is based on interviews conducted with 22 men from Nepal who worked in Amazon’s warehouses in Riyadh or Jeddah between 2021 and 2023. These workers were employed by two third-party labor supply contractors, namely Abdullah Fahad Al-Mutairi Support Services Co. (Al-Mutairi) and Basmah Al-Musanada Co. for Technical Support Services (Basmah). The report exposes how these workers were deceived during the recruitment process, with recruitment agents and labor supply companies colluding to make them believe they would be directly employed by Amazon.

Once in Saudi Arabia, the workers were subjected to appalling conditions. They were housed in overcrowded and filthy accommodations infested with bed bugs. They were forced to work in Amazon warehouses under harsh conditions, lifting heavy items and meeting grueling performance targets. The contractors frequently withheld part of their salaries and food allowances without explanation and underpaid overtime. The workers were constantly monitored and denied adequate rest, leading to injuries and illnesses.

Exploitative Labor System

Many of the workers signed two-year contracts with the labor supply companies, but their employment at Amazon’s facilities lasted less than 12 months. When their contracts ended, the supply companies moved them to even worse accommodations, stopped their salaries, and in some cases, ceased food allowances. The Saudi Arabian sponsorship system, or kafala, further trapped these workers by preventing them from changing employers without their consent and restricting their freedom to leave the country.

Desperate to return home before the end of their contracts, the workers faced exorbitant fines and fees imposed by the contractors for exit papers and flight tickets. Some contemplated suicide due to their dire situation. The Saudi government must urgently investigate these abuses and reform the labor system to guarantee workers their fundamental rights.

Amazon’s Failure to Protect Workers

The report highlights Amazon’s failure to prevent these abuses, despite receiving direct complaints from workers about their treatment. Workers raised their concerns during daily meetings and through written complaints on whiteboards in the warehouses, but Amazon largely ignored these grievances. Some workers who complained to Amazon faced reprisals from the contractors, such as salary deductions and physical assault.

Amnesty International argues that Amazon’s disregard for its own policies and international standards has contributed to these abuses. The company must compensate the workers and take immediate steps to investigate its working practices and supply chains, strengthen due diligence, and ensure that workers can raise concerns without fear of retaliation.

Reform and Compensation

In addition to compensating the workers, the report recommends that Amazon decrease its reliance on labor supply companies, which pose a higher risk of abuse. When using such companies, Amazon must implement stricter controls to prevent these abuses from occurring. The company has conducted audits of the contractors involved and hired consultants to review their labor practices, but these measures come years after workers first raised complaints.

Amnesty International insists that Amazon must rectify the situation for all workers who have suffered and compensate them for the full range of abuses they endured, including those inflicted after they were terminated from the company. Additionally, the Saudi Arabian government must reform its exploitative labor system to ensure the protection of workers’ rights.

Conclusion

The findings of this report shed light on the harsh realities faced by contracted workers in Amazon warehouses in Saudi Arabia. These workers were lured under false pretenses, subjected to inhumane treatment, and trapped in a system that denied them basic rights and freedoms. The responsibility to address these abuses lies with both Amazon and the Saudi Arabian government.

Amazon must take immediate action to rectify the situation by compensating the workers, investigating working practices, and implementing stricter controls in its supply chains. The Saudi government must urgently investigate the abuses and overhaul its labor system to ensure the rights and wellbeing of workers. It is time for both entities to prioritize the dignity and fair treatment of workers and put an end to such rampant exploitation.

Migrantworkers–wordpress,migrantworkers,SaudiArabia,exploitation,vulnerable,humanrights,laborrights,socialjustice,immigration,discrimination