Amazon workers urinate into bottles so they won’t lose their jobs

By Sandra Rose  | 

Amazon fulfillment center

An undercover author says he has witnessed Amazon fulfillment workers peeing into bottles to stay on target for production quotas.

The undercover author, James Bloodworth, took a job as a fulfillment worker at a UK warehouse to see firsthand the conditions that Amazon workers are subjected to.

He told The Sun newspaper that workers are so afraid to take a restroom break that they peed into bottles to stay on quota.

"For those of us who worked on the top floor, the closest toilets were down four flights of stairs," Bloodworth told The Sun. "People just peed in bottles because they lived in fear of being ­disciplined over 'idle time' and ­losing their jobs just because they needed the [restroom]."

The job turnover rate at Amazon is high due to the strict rules that workers must meet production quotas daily. In one case in the United States, a young father-of-2 collapsed and died in a fulfillment center in Virginia in 2013.

In 2017, Amazon faced fines after two workers died in as many months in Indiana.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined Amazon just $6,000 after the death of a 52-year-old worker at a fulfillment center in Pennsylvania.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the richest person in the world with an estimated self worth of about $112 billion.

Photo by Sean Gallup / Getty Images

  • bella28498 .

    So slavery never ended

  • Kim’s Original Face

    They dont play about that 2 day shipping. smh

  • dblogged

    Nothing close to slavery.

  • dblogged

    Just don’t pee into my shea butter and bye bye blemish and we’re good

  • Trace da Ace

    damn....that is messed up....

  • bella28498 .

    Never said it was close and please realize there are levels to slavery. This isn’t level 10 slavery but it’s definitely 3 ( low wages, pissin in cups on the line, and other unimaginable things)

  • bella28498 .

    ? I’m on the floor

  • dblogged

    I respect that

  • FukkFolks2018

    Yep. Its sad and uncalled for.

  • free

    now i feel bad....

  • Satin Panther

    Damn I feel bad now bcuz a bitch order at least 10 items or more a week from Amazon, I'm hooked man!

  • Blue

    I worked at a call center for an alarm company that was like this about bathroom breaks. It was a pain in the ass. Literally.

  • Satin Panther

    Yeah 2 days shipping is insane, the work load is crazy. They should at least have a rest room on every floor.

  • Vonn

    How much do they pay these good folks?

  • Satin Panther

    They start you off with $14-$16 an hour which is good but damn they will work you to death for it..literally!

  • Blaque Mahogany

    It's not funny, but the headline made me laugh.

  • cherrypie

    Bawahhhhhhhhhh!! I do too!! Have something arriving today! Now I feel bad

  • WutizstillHERE!

    They work them like Egyptian slaves! My daughter worked at the fulfillment warehouse in East Point. Tis all I gotta say about that!

  • tintin

    damn so them books ive been ordering most likely had unwashed pee pee hands on them

  • WutizstillHERE!

    I think my daughter was making 11.50 but its in four hour shifts and they only give you a certain amount they are like walmart in keeping you part time for the benefit aspect of it all...smh

  • Vonn

    Do they get employee discounts? Does Amazon sell urinary catheters? They need to make a big stink about the company's policy on bathroom breaks. This sounds inhumane.

  • cherrypie

    Damn....I bet some of them wear Depends.

  • Satin Panther

    What state are you from if you don't mind me asking? My cousins work at Amazon in CT and they start them off with $14-$16

  • sunni_daze

    Girl who you telling. I live on Amazon

  • Vonn

    Wow, that is just pure greed.

  • Hugga Bunch

    I worked at amazon during the holiday season one year, this write-up tells no lies. Its modern day slavery, I made $10 hourly, and barely lasted 4 weeks.

  • Satin Panther

    Me too! LOL I have my stuff delivered to my job, should be here any moment.. *eyeing the clock*

  • WutizstillHERE!

    Amazon is putting Kmart, Sams out the game and is targeting Walmart. Thats why Walmart tried to buy that online company that once had the commercial where their heads would explode a purple color..ZIP or something..

  • Vonn

    Amazon makes too much money to be this selfish with their employees.

  • Satin Panther

    I know, online shopping sales has went up like crazy for the past 4-5 yrs and it is definitely on top of the retail chain big time. But Wal-mart not going nowhere though, they still have loyal muthafuckaz that stay in their stores but I do believe their quest on buying online companies is still going to continue.

  • Mrs. King

    Not in the South

  • Satin Panther

    Oh ok, no wonder.

  • Kita Williams

    damn but it's like...... I can't NOT use Amazon. that garage idea is literally one of the best business ventures known to man (we know the best invention is the black man inventing the cell phone bc I mean...what would we do without them these days lol). they do need to look at access tho at least for toilets and water fountains, maybe add some of those automated filtered water systems on every floor, multiple bathrooms with multiple stalls. they deserve cus they work hard to fulfill those 2 day free shipping orders cus i'll be damned if my package a day late LOL

  • Satin Panther

    Yeah if a job restrict me from taking a nice and quiet 15 minute chit when I need to then I can't work for them. smh

  • iWasteTime

    You didn't read a word of the write up did you.
    If mexican's were dying and peeing in bottles we wouldn't know about it

  • Satin Panther

    Yeah chit I wonder if they have Amazon AA meetings, it's that real for me..LOL

  • WutizstillHERE!

    I buy equally online with walmart and amazon. I usually comparison shop and whoever is giving the better deal I take.

  • Satin Panther

    Holiday season??? Lordt I know they were working you under the ground,,damn smh

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    whet?!
    they packing my illy instant coffee and organic sugar with their pee-pee hands???!!!!!!! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b25c55f880104788ab280e26748e8bbe2ddcb658e261a54c8e0848bcab10a924.gif

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!
  • Kita Williams

    BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I FELT THIS REPLY ON THE DEEPEST OF LEVELS!!!!!!!

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    chile..... and got the nerve to have 'em stacked next to my bed, LOL!!!!!!!!

  • Kita Williams

    damn LOL what a cold but accurate reply

  • Satin Panther

    Man I ain't lying, all of us at my job all have deliveries come here everyday and we all gather in the lobby separating each others chit like..Yeah that's mine, here's your chit, yeah nope that's mine too! LOL

  • We Can Do This

    Even with available bathrooms, hand washing usually never occurs, I've noticed.

  • Quitedeliteful

    What in the American Slave Labor tarnation is going on here??? Amazon was only fined $6,000 after the death of a worker in Pennsylvania??? I hope these families take Amazon to the cleaners!!!

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    LOL, i'm a 'regular' as well. if it saves me a trip to the store AND the price is right, they get my business every time, smh

  • Dr.Rue

    Factory jobs are needed but people need to be treated with respect

  • Satin Panther

    LOLLLLLL...Oh no hunny I wasn't throwing no palm trees I was just like damn working at a place like Amazon nobody deserves to get that kind of money...I love the South but I'm used to making top dollars up here in the North.. :)

  • BeUtFullSoul

    I've HEARD of This before, BUT, I did NOT think it was ACTually ha-PEE-ning.!

  • Hugga Bunch

    Jordan Peele should write a sequel to Get Out and base it on Amazon, Get the F*** Out.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    for real though.... got me out here hypocritin' 'cause i was all "fugg walmark" for some of their employment practices, but you got folks dropping dead over online shopping items??? they need to fix it ('cause i really don't want to have to boycott them (and give up my habits of convenience)) https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5a16feb7886870b58e876a7ffc6b264e7419e743bb55ec579123b82d4a427799.gif

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!
  • pecancandy

    Yep, you know if they ain’t got time to piss, they ain’t got time to wash

  • Quitedeliteful

    LOLLOLLOL!!!!!! They have got to fix this -- folks dropping dead and getting kidney disease!!! Amazon better get it right !!!

  • Quitedeliteful

    LOLLOLLOL!!!!!!!!!!

  • BeUtFullSoul

    LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    dang!
    that's on me though.... i used to wipe down everything i brought into the house before storing it in my fridge or cabinets.... they done caught me slippin' 'cause who knows what warehouse conditions are like when ordering online, smh. errthang gets a sponge bath from now on dammit! Lol!

  • Quitedeliteful

    cus i'll be damned if my package a day late
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
    It betta not be!!! LOLLOLLOL!!!!!!!!!!

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    i struggled SEW hard not to laugh at that 'kidney disease' reference, that tears shot out of my eyes, smh https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bb4264f7d4d7227830d50436ebc02fe52f854ab6633bc6dbb91c04c30c8efcd0.gif

  • Quitedeliteful

    (Snicker,,,,)

  • the guest

    People are peeing in cups and dying to meet that guaranteed two day shipping. It is slave labor. But we want things fast. Never think about the suffering.

  • Jordan’s Memory

    you are soooo wrong for that! lol ....on a serious note RIP to all those overworked and probably underpaid people who lost here lives.

  • Quitedeliteful

    This is very true. It's a no win situation...

  • Oh Well

    Its ok..baby wipes work wonders..have a good one Pedro

  • Quitedeliteful

    Watch What Happens Next: folks complain and boycott Amazon so they get rid of 99% of their workers and hire robots to take their place...

  • Jordan’s Memory

    LMAO!!!! PREACH!!!

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    it's gone be a drone gridlock on my street ('cause me and my neighbors keep the fedex, ups, and usps trucks circling the block) ROFL!

  • Quitedeliteful

    With all them packages you all get your neighborhood is gonna end up part of the no fly zone!! LOLLOLLOL!!!!!!

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1lo6u-UIbo Nancy Drew-Natural & Luv’n It!

    girl! Lol!

  • ~~eb

    I gave up my Amazon Prime almost two years ago as a way to stop impulse spending and bulk shopping. Honestly, I don't miss it.

  • Jordan’s Memory

    I order from amazon here and there for cell phones cases and stuff like that mostly, but clothes etc. I'm a little old fashion, I gotta go into the store touch it and feel it before I buy it, to much of an Hassel to order something wait for it then, only to ship it back if u don't like it or if it don't fit. They have a grocery store or was teaming up with whole foods or something wasn't they? If so, I'm sure these conditions will only get worst unless they hire more people or do away with the quota.

  • Blue

    Hahahaha smh

  • Kemi

    This is exploitative working conditions. Bezos is worth billions. He can afford to hire more staff to meet the demands. They should go on strike! And they better unionize fast before being replaced by robots.

  • Jordan’s Memory

    And I am one of them. I don't even know where I shopped before Wal-Mart, Oh yeah it was Ames and K-mart oh wait Caldor too lol anyways, Wal-Mart is my go too and I truly don't know where I would shop if they ever closed like seriously. I don't have time to be ordering no damn toiletries online I need my stuff now today!!!! lol I would like to see Super Wal-Mart get a lil upscale like whole foods with a lounge area, 5 flat screen TVs, music, a full service bar and a huge hot bar! Come Wal-Mart keep up!!!

  • Lena Justin

    I'm in the minority, but I enjoyed working for Amazon. Your first 90 days are torture, but if you survive that, they relax on you if you're a good worker. They paid 95% of my tuition and gave me shares of stock to cash in.

  • Trace da Ace

    all of that for minimum wage???

  • Anunnaki

    I had a friend work there for 3 weeks he quit, under to much pressure. And its a very stressful environment, he say

  • mona q

    THIS...I need to do it.

  • ?Patty Kakes?

    Wow.....that's worst than Walmart

  • mona q

    NOPE.

  • Guess Who

    DAMN

  • Satin Panther

    I hear you! I freakin' love Wal-Mart! Yeah there was Ames, K-Mart Caldor and don't forget Bradlees was the chit too..LOL I think the only thing Super Wal-Mart has is a Dunkin Donuts but I agree they damn sure need to step their game up like Whole Foods, the fresh organic rotisserie chicken is bangin'! But then again, I see the weirdest most ghetto rachet-fabulous ppl in Wal-Mart and if they have a lounge spot with TV and food court, they wouldn't be able to get nuggaz to shop and leave! LOLLLLL

  • free

    they make more than minimum wage.

  • Satin Panther

    I'm a tall sista, 5'9, so I know better to purchase a pair of jeans online but I shop mostly accessories bags, sunglasses, and then dresses, shirts, leggings etc but the hassle of having to ship chit back and forth is a pain but PRIME makes chit a lil better. If Wholes Foods get involve we should prepare to hear about a lot more folks dying at the conveyer belt trying to make quotas, don't they dare!!!

  • Luv Pitties

    They start at $15/hr for temps not sure what career employees start at. There’s an Amazon fulfillment center about 20 man from me and the staffing agency has hiring events every 2-3 months.

  • IamAllnatural

    In Miami I believe they make $10/hr.

  • IamAllnatural

    You received Amazon stock for working there? That stock is $1500 a share, I might need a part-time job there.?

  • zero options

    and cities all across america are vying to host their second headquarters...
    except san antonio, wise choice san antonio

  • TheOwley

    This is all for naught. AI will take over their jobs soon enough. They don't need bathroom breaks.

    btw: "Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the richest person in the world with an estimated self worth of about $112 billion."

    Can you quantify self worth Sandra?
    Just kidding.

  • IamAllnatural

    Amazon bought Whole Foods last year.

  • HoneyyGoodMoneyy_
  • Hunni24

    your response tickled me. I use to work at Caldor in NY and was just telling a friend about it at lunch. Happy memories. Walmart is definitely my go to spot. Online, in store and ship to store. But I'm a prime member too so Amazon for gifts for out of state friends and electronics.

  • BeUtFullSoul

    Yes ! Most definitely RIP to those who lost lives due to these horrible conditions... NOT to be taken lightly at all.

  • Hmmm~?

    Amazon warehouses are enormous. They have about as much flat space as a major stadium, if not bigger. They intentionally place the break areas EXTREMELY far from the common work areas to encourage the exact behavior up top. Worked at one of their distribution centers many years ago, and it literally took me around 10 minutes of walking just to get to the break area. The warehouse was literally that big. It's ridiculous how these people treat their employees. Especially when the people working at their warehouses are the reason why your packages even show up at your door.

  • Kayke

    An ex worker told me they ran all day. Everything is timed.

  • Reenaface

    Oh yeah, I remember Bradlees. You could buy popcorn and take pictures in several of them. And Ames took over Zayre when they closed down.
    I'm bad with Amazon and eBay, eBay is addictive!

  • Logan Roberts

    Yuck I bet the warehouse smell like piss. ?

  • EMILY POST

    Whoa well the Amazon dude is worth billions that means normally somebody is getting paid horrible at the bottom. Not shocked if they are peeing in bottles.

  • imright

    wow. how is this legal ? ???

  • dontgetblocked

    He is the richest person in the WORLD!

  • dontgetblocked

    Amazon is a slave house and they can't keep employees. It's even worse in the corporate office. Jeff Bezos is cray cray yet brilliant. He is the richest man in the world and Amazon has amazing benefits which includes their valuable stock shares.

  • dontgetblocked

    The stock is no joke and they pay for associates degrees and training like truck driving.

  • dontgetblocked

    There benefits are no joke...especially that stock.

  • dontgetblocked

    They already have huge robots.

  • https://twitter.com/Chicagowise Chicagowise

    You don't get $112 billion dollars without urinating on a few people... and making some of those people urinate on themselves.

  • EScrazy

    I can believe it...I had a best friend of mine take an amazon job in 2016 I believe and I haven’t seen her since

  • R Smith

    hahahahaaha...I have a friend that moved to Seattle to work in their corporate as a recruiter. I'll have to check on her!

  • R Smith

    Exactly and they have high turnover!

  • R Smith

    high turnover! Everyone wants to work there until they work there!

  • Mrs. S. Kidd

    I suspect that they will hire immigrants first to replace all the Black American people who work at their warehouses. Once the robot thing is fully a go, they will fire the immigrants.

  • IssaOpinion

    I’ve heard people at the Georgia warehouse wears depends pull-ups to stay on target.Dang

  • Crazy tee

    Don’t put no more into a company (job) then you’re going to get out of it...If that job can’t bring you a house, car, kids tuition, nice trips....then don’t buss your as$...period

  • Quitedeliteful

    Sounds about right....

  • TrollingStoned

    Amazon is a horrible place to work. Everybody I’ve known that works there said so. I had a friend that was fired while she was taking a leave due to an injury she got on the job. She sued

  • Daryl Campbell

    That’s always been my thought.