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> ... Algorithms could be used to prevent firing an employee in such a situation. I think you're being _very_ optimistic and a bit naive about the motivations

> ... Algorithms could be used to prevent firing an employee in such a situation. I think you're being _very_ optimistic and a bit naive about the motivations of a business that would resort to such algorithms. They want to maximize the throughput rate of picking boxes and minimize their cost. Sure, it sounds "objective" to say that everyone who doesn't meet the pre-agreed work criteria would be fired (and not-fired if they meet it). But who gets to set that threshold? Who determines what is reasonable? What if that performance threshold can only be met by fit young people and only until their bodies can't take the stress anymore? How will workers even assess whether or not they can do the job until they try? This is an ugly practice. If it survives, it will be coming to a cubicle near you someday. Hope I am retired by then.

lotsofpulp 8y ago
>But who gets to set that threshold? Who determines what is reasonable? What if that performance threshold can only be met by fit young people and only until their bodies can't take the stress anymore? How will workers even assess whether or not they can do the job until they try? If it's harmful to the worker, then it should fall under the purview of OSHA in the US. Otherwise, that threshold is set by consumers who choose to patronize businesses that treat their employees in a certain way. Almost all of the time, for goods that can't be distinguished from one another, consumers will choose to patronize a business offering the lowest price available to them, hence the businesses that squeeze the most out of the workers survive and the others do not.
- crispyambulance 8y ago
  > ...then it should fall under the purview of OSHA in the US. Will OSHA end up being an algorithm as well? Sorry, but contrary to techno-libertarian fundamentalist beliefs, institutions and courts just can't keep up when things are so insanely lopsided in favor of the rich and powerful. That said, nothing is going to stop amazon from instituting whatever crazy "expert system" they want to abuse warehouse workers until they're all robots.

lotsofpulp 8y ago

>But who gets to set that threshold? Who determines what is reasonable? What if that performance threshold can only be met by fit young people and only until their bodies can't take the stress anymore? How will workers even assess whether or not they can do the job until they try? If it's harmful to the worker, then it should fall under the purview of OSHA in the US. Otherwise, that threshold is set by consumers who choose to patronize businesses that treat their employees in a certain way. Almost all of the time, for goods that can't be distinguished from one another, consumers will choose to patronize a business offering the lowest price available to them, hence the businesses that squeeze the most out of the workers survive and the others do not.

crispyambulance 8y ago
> ...then it should fall under the purview of OSHA in the US. Will OSHA end up being an algorithm as well? Sorry, but contrary to techno-libertarian fundamentalist beliefs, institutions and courts just can't keep up when things are so insanely lopsided in favor of the rich and powerful. That said, nothing is going to stop amazon from instituting whatever crazy "expert system" they want to abuse warehouse workers until they're all robots.