Tuesday 14th April 2020, the court of Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) condemned Amazon for not having respected the sanitary measures in its warehouses to face the coronavirus.
Victory (partial) for Amazon employees. Brought to justice because of the opening of its warehouses in France without respecting the sanitary measures imposed against the coronavirus, the online commerce giant was condemned Tuesday 14th April 2020 by the court of Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine).
Read also: Covid-19: Amazon announces health measures in the face of social discontent
Food, hygiene and medical products
Sud Commerce had summonsed the American firm, demanding an outright closure of all warehouses in France. If the union has not fully won, Amazon’s activity will be limited to essential goods.
These are only orders for food, hygiene and medical products. In addition, the deliberation adds that Amazon will no longer be able to deliver books, household appliances, DVDs or even electronic equipment.
A measure that must be put in place within 24 hours, subject to a million euros per day delay.
DÉLIBÉRÉ @AmazonFrance : le juge ordonne de limiter, dans les 24 h et sous astreinte de 1 million par jour de retard, l’activité aux marchandises essentielles dans la période dans l’attente d’une évaluation des risques épidémiques en y associant les représentants du personnel !
— SUD Commerce (@sudcommerces) April 14, 2020
Contaminated employees in Essonne
The warehouses, therefore, remain open but the activity is considerably reduced. This will last “pending an assessment of epidemic risks by involving staff representatives” to be carried out by Amazon, announced Sud Commerce.
At the beginning of April, four cases had been identified in a warehouse in Brétigny-sur-Orge (Essonne). In addition, the Ministry of Labour had pinned five of the six warehouses for poor protection of employees.
