Life and Death in the Warehouse

Just saw it on BBC1. It is shocking, but not surprising. Everyone knows what happens when we buy online. It is good to show so we can't say we didn't know about the working conditions in such warehouses. Very strong movie.

Watching this, I was reminded of reading about Soviet style encouragements to greater productivity. The hardest workers were paraded and lauded as an example to the comrades, while those considered "lazy", were the victims of oppressive behaviour by the supervisors. All the time, the Communist Party, were the beneficiary of what might be analagous to "Customer Focussed" attention, that kept rearing it's ugly head throughout this film.

Ever wondered why these sort of businesses set up in depressed areas? A frightened workforce is a compliant workforce, and most here were complicit. Just as in the days of Soviet Labour, in todays so called market economy, fear and useful idiots are the business drivers.

....online shopping. These companies are too big and powerful to control. If staff refused to endure these conditions they would have to come in line with every other British company. But that is NEVER going to happen.

Life and Death in the Warehouse is a hard-hitting drama about what life is like for the thousands of workers inside the massive online retail warehouses. Tragically it is all too real with toilet breaks, conversations and 'pick rates' constantly measured and failing leads to ruthless off-boarding (sacking). The management's passive aggression and gaslighting is a like a constant smack in the face. I'm certain this will spark conversations about working conditions. Congratulations to the writer Helen Black and all the cast and crew involved in making this drama. It was brilliant and deserves all the awards.

I don't think I will be buying again from certain online shopping companies , after watching this heartbreaking short film.

It's eye opening seeing how some of the workers are treated in a quest to keep the "picking numbers" high. Its shocking that this treatment of workers happens in modern society. Fabulously acted by all concerned. .