At least 5 Amazon warehouse workers in Europe test positive for the coronavirus – CNBC

No longer no longer up to 5 staff at Amazon warehouses in Europe beget examined certain for the coronavirus, the firm confirmed to CNBC. 

The conditions are at warehouses in Spain and Italy, two areas which had been hit tough in the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The products and services will remain originate, no matter Italy instituting a nationwide lockdown and Spain declaring a advise of emergency.

An Amazon spokesperson acknowledged the “huge majority” of its staff all the top scheme via the realm proceed to come to work and it has stepped up safety features at success centers to protect in opposition to the virus. The firm is following all steering from successfully being officials associated to running its buildings, the spokesperson added.

“We will immense lengths to purchase care of the buildings extremely pleasing and attend staff be aware vital precautions comparable to social distancing and other measures,” the spokesperson acknowledged. “Americans that build no longer would like to come to work are welcome to insist paid and unpaid atomize day strategies and we give a capture to them in doing so.”

Data of the conditions used to be first reported by Bloomberg. 

The conditions save the first identified incidents of warehouse staff checking out certain for the coronavirus. Amazon confirmed March 3 that an worker determining of its Brazil design of enterprise constructing Seattle contracted the disease. On Friday, Amazon acknowledged one more worker primarily primarily based out of 1 of its workplaces in Seattle examined certain for COVID-19.

As the coronavirus continues to spread, Amazon logistics staff circulated a petition calling for the firm to avoid wasting in design more “protective measures,” including giving staff paid slip away. 

“Whereas Amazon has made some restricted coronavirus lodging, it needs a entire thought to bag particular the protection of all of its staff and the greater public, including giving staff paid slip away and no longer merely extending our unpaid slip away, as used to be launched recently,” the petition states. 

Last week, Amazon suggested world staff who are in a plight to work from dwelling to develop so via the tip of March. The directive applies to staff at Amazon’s corporate workplaces. 

Unlike staff at Amazon’s corporate workplaces, many success center staff and start drivers can not develop their job responsibilities while working from dwelling. Last week, Amazon moved to contend with the outlandish needs of success centers and start by launching a $25 million reduction fund. The “Amazon Reduction Fund” will allow these staff to practice for grants which will seemingly be equal to or up to two weeks of pay if they’re identified with the radical coronavirus, or COVID-19. 

The firm additionally acknowledged this may per chance provide up to two weeks of pay to all staff identified with COVID-19 or positioned into quarantine, effective instantly. That is as successfully as to limitless unpaid atomize day for all hourly staff via the month of March, which CNBC beforehand reported.