India’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on the government to investigate alleged labour law violations at an Amazon warehouse near New Delhi. The warehouse, located in Manesar, has been accused of subjecting workers to harsh conditions during a severe heatwave, including lack of water and toilet breaks.
Indian media reports this month highlighted the plight of workers at the warehouse, who claimed they were under pressure to meet packaging targets without adequate breaks. The NHRC statement expressed concern over the “serious issue of human rights of the workers” and asked the labour ministry to investigate the allegations within one week.
Amazon has faced criticism over working conditions in its warehouses globally, including strikes in the UK and a $5.9 million penalty in the US over productivity quotas. The company has denied setting fixed quotas for warehouse workers, but apologised in 2021 after allegations emerged that truck drivers had to urinate in bottles during delivery rounds.
The Manesar warehouse is one of many Amazon facilities in India, a key market where the company has invested over $6.5 billion. The warehouse employs 1,000 workers, according to Amazon India Workers Association head Dharmendra Kumar, who hopes for “corrective measures to ensure workers have a decent living wage and adequate social protection”.
Amazon has stated that the safety and wellbeing of its associates and employees is its top priority, providing adequate water, hydration, and regular rest breaks in a cooler environment. The company also claimed to ensure additional breaks when temperatures are high, but workers and rights groups have raised concerns over the adequacy of these measures.
