A Dirty Little Secret On How We Get Our Packages

Listen, I really don’t want to be that guy. I, too, love receiving my packages promptly and am no stranger to the giddy sensation of seeing that cardboard box waiting for me at my doorstep.

But everything has its costs, and to make this modern luxury a reality, companies like Amazon, Walmart, and others are creating an entire sector of low-paid, under-protected temporary workers who are routinely boxing and shipping items they couldn’t afford to buy.

Here’s an inside look at how it’s changing the American economy and degrading working conditions for everyone.

Temp labor is one of the fastest growing industries in the US. Increasingly, temp workers are part of a business strategy to keep costs down and profits high. From mega-retailers to mom-and-pop shops, temps are hired to do some of the hardest and most dangerous jobs.

While more and more of the American workforce is comprised of temporary workers, they’re largely hidden from public view. Many of these workers stay silent, often having their livelihoods threatened if they speak out. Wanting to get a glimpse of this invisible workforce, Vice News traveled across the country, scouring warehouses, temp agencies, and temp towns in search of the people, who make our world of same day delivery possible.

Krishna Andavolu (video above): “We’re in central New Jersey about an hour south of New York City and behind me you’ll see the future home of Amazon Fresh. A 1.2 million square foot warehouse that’s going to be the hub of Amazon’s new grocery delivery service.

Amazon Fresh plans on offering same day delivery and what’s crazy is that it takes places like this, giant warehouses staffed by temporary workers, to make it possible for me to order cereal online and get it delivered the same day.

This whole area used to be farm land and you’ll still be getting your food from here, but instead of from farms it’ll be from warehouses. Even though the logistical industry is set to expand, that doesn’t mean the conditions for workers will get any better. For permatemps the prospect of joining the consumer economy that they support through their labor remains slim.”

About
This video (above) is the final video in a five-part series on temporary workers that was produced as a collaboration between Vice News and ProPublica.

If you found this interesting or just have a hankering for some quality journalism from people who know what they’re doing, follow Michael Grabell and check out more of his work at ProPublica.

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Related: Dept. of Labor Investigates Worker Deaths at Amazon Distribution Centers