Misleading: Amazon Megacycle Shift

Misbar has discovered that according to BusinessInsider.com, Amazon employees at a Chicago warehouse were told in January that the DCH1 warehouse, a last-mile delivery station in Chicago, would be closed down, and they could begin working what is known as a "megacycle" shift at a different location. The shift starts at 1:20 a.m. and lasts until 11:50 a.m. 

According to a spokesperson for Amazon in Engadget.com, the employees who were being displaced at the closed facility were given a choice of shifts if they wanted to continue Amazon employment: “It is inaccurate that we are only asking associates at DCH1 to change to a single shift type. We offer a wide range of job opportunities at Amazon sites and we are working with each associate directly on the option that best supports them.

Amazon workers frequently work a variety of shifts, including ten hour shifts. According to Amazondelivers.jobs, shifts are 4-10 hours long with many scheduling options. For example, a “front half” shift would run Sunday to Wednesday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with breaks woven in throughout the day. Overnight shifts are also common for Amazon employees. 

According to the SeattleTimes.com, with more than 1.2 million employees globally, Amazon is inevitably a target for unionization, which may come sooner than later. In an Alabama warehouse, where workers contacted the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union, more than 2,000 out of 5,800 employees at the site had signed cards saying they wanted union representation. That was enough for the National Labor Relations Board to schedule an election. Ballots are set to be mailed out Monday, February 8, to eligible workers at the Bessemer, Alabama facility according to CNN.com.