'Oath' to avoid washroom before reaching target: Anti-labour practices at Haryana's MNC warehouse under NHRC scanner

There are reportedly no restrooms for females on the premises of the Manesar warehouse and while there is a sick room, the workers are asked to leave in ten minutes of their admission.

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Centre over a report alleging "anti-labour practices" at one of the warehouses of Amazon India in Haryana's Manesar, according to the proceedings of the case shared on the rights panel's website.

The NHRC has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raises a serious issue of human rights of the workers in violation of the labour laws and the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment from time to time.

The NHRC, in a statement, said that it has taken suo motu cognisance of the media report that at one of the warehouses of a multi-national company in Haryana's Manesar "a 24-year-old worker was asked to pledge that they would not take toilet or water breaks until they finished unloading packages from six trucks, each measuring 24 feet long, after their team's 30-minute tea break had ended".

"A female employee at the Manesar warehouse reportedly stated that no restroom facilities are available on the working sites," it added.

The NHRC, in the proceedings of this case shared on its website, mentioned the company's name -- Amazon India.

"The Commission has come across a news report dated 16.05.2024 revealing that at one of the warehouses of Amazon India in Haryana's Manesar, a 24-year-old worker was asked to pledge that they would not take toilet or water breaks until they finished unloading packages from six trucks, each measuring 24 feet long, after their team's 30-minute tea break had ended," the proceedings read.

When contacted, the company said that its employees and associates are "free to take informal breaks throughout their shifts to use the restroom, get water, or talk to a manager".

"Safety and well-being of our employees and associates is our top priority. The infrastructure and facilities at our fulfilment centres are industry leading, and are designed to ensure a safe and comfortable working environment.

"All our buildings have heat index monitoring devices and we constantly monitor changes in temperature, especially during summer months. If we do find increasing heat or humidity inside our buildings, then our teams take action to provide comfortable working conditions, including temporarily suspending work," the firm said in a statement.

"We have cooling measures in all our buildings, including ventilation systems, fans, and spot coolers. We also provide water and other hydration options, as well as regularly scheduled rest breaks in a cooler environment, and additional breaks when temperatures are high. Employees and associates are free to take informal breaks throughout their shifts to use the restroom, get water, or talk to a manager or HR," it added.

The NHRC in its statement said that reportedly, the labour associations in India have accused five warehouses in and around Manesar of violating regulations outlined in the Factories Act, 1948.

While labour inspectors can demand corrections, there is "limited enforcement", it said.

Accordingly, the NHRC has issued a notice to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Labour and Employment, seeking a detailed report within one week.

Issuing the notice, the human rights panel has also noted that the government has been insisting on improving workers' living standard.

"Apart from ensuring proper payment of minimum wages to the workers, the government schemes have been introduced to provide social security for the labourers, including a safe working environment, safety gear in hazardous working conditions, medical insurance and free annual health check-ups of the workers by the employers," it said.

A scheme -- 'Shramev Jayate' -- was started in 2014 targeting the country's growth and maximum benefit to the workers. Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, 2017 also came into effect to increase the paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks, the statement said.

As per the news report, one of the workers, who works 10 hours a day for five days a week and earns Rs 10,088 per month, stated that even if they work continuously without breaks, including the 30-minute lunch and tea breaks, they cannot unload more than four trucks per day, the rights panel said.

A woman worker also claimed that she keeps standing for nine hours daily and is required to evaluate 60 small products or 40 medium-sized products per hour during duty. Reportedly, the multinational company has also encountered similar accusations internationally, the statement said.