California Bill Takes Aim At Amazon’s Labor Practices

California lawmakers have passed a landmark bill aimed at regulating Amazon’s use of productivity quotes in warehouses. Labor practices have become a common complaint among Amazon workers. The State Senate voted 26-11 for the Warehouse Workers Protection Act. The bill now heads to the State Assembly for a final vote and will then be sent to Governor Gavin Newsom. Newsom has not indicated whether he supports the bill. The legislation requires employers to disclose productivity quotes to employees and government agencies. It also prohibits employers from requiring employees to meet unsafe quotes that prevent state-mandated meal and rest breaks or from using the bathroom. Amazon uses algorithms to track productivity rates that log the number of packages packed and stowed each hour.