Ministers announced that the government is partnering with Amazon to offer energy-saving advice through its Echo devices and Alexa voice assistant. Owners of such devices or applications can use phrases including “Alexa, give me tips to conserve energy” to receive the government advice, according to the press release.

José Francisco Mora, who works as a cleaner for Amazon, said the announcement was “frustrating and disappointing” for him and his colleagues “who work hard at night for poverty wages and poor working conditions”.

He said it showed that “Amazon would rather spend its resources on programming a virtual assistant to help those who can afford Alexa-type luxuries, than offer its workers a fair and dignified treatment and a decent pay rise”.

Amazon has not yet responded to a request from the cleaners’ union, United Voices of the World, to be paid the London Living Wage, £11.95 an hour. The cleaners currently earn minimum wage, an hourly rate of £10.42.

The cleaners, who are paid an hourly rate of £10.42, are asking Amazon to raise their wages to the London Living Wage, £11.95 an hour, which Amazon warehouse workers already receive.

  • @[email protected]
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    111 year ago

    I don’t really see any connection between the two. It could be a good idea or a bad idea to offer energy-saving advice via Alexa devices – I mean, personally I’m skeptical that it’s actually helpful, but whatever – but those merits or drawbacks have nothing to do with the wages of a random employee at Amazon.

  • @LemmyIsFantastic
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    71 year ago

    Rage bait bullshit. Absolutely worthless article designed to get your underwear in a twist.

    • @[email protected]OP
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      1 year ago

      @LemmyIsFantastic

      I respectfully disagree. Rather than changing politics after decades of austerity, the government provides advice for energy savings through a device by Amazon, a company that spies on people and pays practically no taxes.

      • Big P
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        01 year ago

        If this is what it takes for you to realise the government doesn’t care about you then fair enough I guess, but they haven’t done anything egregious here

        • @[email protected]OP
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          31 year ago

          That’s not the point. I think that it is generally a bad idea if any government collaborates with such companies. So I agree that it’s a detail and there are issues of higher importance, but a government shouldn’t act this way.

    • @NOSin
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      21 year ago

      And you don’t think Amazon deserve the rage ?

      • Big P
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        21 year ago

        There’s plenty of reasons to get angry at amazon, this isn’t one of them

        • @NOSin
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          21 year ago

          It’s hypocrisy, it is a sufficient reason, it’s called holding up people and companies up to standards.