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Amazon faces Indian court scrutiny for labour conditions at warehouse | Labour R…

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Amazon faces Indian court scrutiny for labour conditions at warehouse | Labour R…


Amazon is facing prosecution in an Indian court for labour law violations at a major warehouse near the country’s national capital of Delhi.

Documents reviewed by Al Jazeera through India’s Right to Information Act and court records showed that a labour inspection earlier this year alleged inadequate safety equipment, and failure to comply with provisions of labour laws at the Amazon warehouse.

That inspection was launched after reports emerged of an incident in May, where Amazon workers at the facility, located near Manesar in the state of Haryana, were asked to take verbal pledges not to take breaks, including for drinking water or using the toilet, until they met their targets for the day. Amazon calls its warehouses “fulfilment centres”.

An internal investigation by the company confirmed that a manager requested such a pledge as part of a “motivational exercise”. Amazon called the incident “unfortunate and isolated” in a letter to India’s Ministry of Labour and Employment in June, stating that disciplinary action had been taken against the manager. Amazon has not specified what action was taken against the executive.

That same month, the local Haryana government conducted a “detailed investigation” through labour inspections at the Amazon warehouse.

A woman dressed as Jeff Bezos, Executive Chairman of Amazon, and other Gig Workers Association (GigWA) and Amazon Warehouse workers participate in a protest in New Delhi, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022. The protest was against the alleged unfair treatment and work environment by multinational companies against their workers. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
A woman dressed as Jeff Bezos, executive chairman of Amazon, and other Gig Workers Association and Amazon Warehouse workers participate in a protest in New Delhi, on Friday, November 25, 2022,  against the alleged unfair treatment and work environment by multinational companies against their workers [Manish Swarup/AP Photo]

‘Labour law violations’

The labour inspection report, reviewed by Al Jazeera through the Right to Information Act, concluded that “labour laws are not being followed by the organisation”.

Amazon failed to provide workers with the required safety gear and did not maintain proper records, as required by law, at its warehouse. “Tight-fitting clothes are not provided to the female workers on or near the moving machinery,” according to an observation made in the labour inspection report. It is not clear whether safe clothes are provided to male workers.

Working while wearing loose clothing near moving machinery is viewed as a potential occupational safety hazard as it could lead to injuries if clothes get entangled in the machine. Under India’s labour law regulations, workers need to wear tight-fitting clothes while working near moving machinery.

The labour inspection report accused Amazon of not providing employment identity cards to its warehouse workers near Manesar.

The Haryana government took Amazon to a court in the Delhi suburb of Gurugram in June, where it submitted the labour inspection report as evidence to back its case. The judge, Amit Gautam, in an order on July 6, summoned Amazon to be present before the court on October 28. However, the case was adjourned, with the next hearing now slated for December 10.

“We haven’t been provided a copy of the Labour Office’s inspection report and hence cannot comment on it. Also, the matter is now sub-judice, so we cannot comment on other attributes of the Court filings noted in your inquiry,” an Amazon spokesperson told Al Jazeera in an email response to detailed questions on the allegations spelled out in the Haryana government’s labour investigation.

Amazon employs 1.5 million workers globally, including more than 100,000 people in India, from blue-collar workers deployed for warehouse packaging and delivery drivers to executives managing sales and marketing and AI specialists working on Amazon’s cloud computing firm, Amazon Web Services.

At the Manesar warehouse, which helps Amazon deliver products to the national capital region of the country, there are more than 1,800 associates – a term the e-commerce company uses for its warehouse workers.

Amazon’s warehouse associates play a crucial role in processing and preparing the company’s online deliveries. Some workers receive, check and sort the delivery products, while others pick, pack and ship the customer orders, while relocating products within the warehouse and loading trucks.

Amazon has more than 60 such fulfilment centres across India.

In recent years, Amazon’s treatment of workers has come under increased scrutiny, especially in the West, including the United Kingdom and the United States.

A worker sorts delivery packages in a van outside an Amazon facility in Ahmedabad, India, March 17, 2021. Picture taken March 17, 2021. REUTERS/Amit Dave
A worker sorts delivery packages in a van outside an Amazon facility in Ahmedabad, India, March 17, 2021 [Amit Dave/Reuters]

‘Stiff work targets’

But while the company won’t comment, Al Jazeera spoke to three workers in different departments at the Manesar warehouse, who painted a picture of an exploitative environment very different from the one that Amazon portrays in its description of these facilities as ‘fulfilment centres’. They spoke on condition of anonymity, for fear of retribution from the company for speaking with a journalist.

A major complaint related to strict targets given to them at work. Another common complaint was about a lack of opportunities for workers to rest during the day, at the warehouse.

“In one hour, I have to process 60 items that are return products that come back to Amazon. So, for one product, within a minute, I have to open the box, check the item for damage, review the customer’s comment and verify if it’s sellable or not,” said Prakash*, who has worked at the warehouse for almost five years. He spoke on condition of anonymity, afraid of being sacked for speaking to a journalist.

“The targets are so tough to meet.”

Amazon told India’s Labour and Employment Ministry in a letter in June that it is “confident” the targets given to its warehouse workers are “comfortably achievable”, and that the company has “sufficient headroom in capacity”, which is expanded whenever necessary.

Al Jazeera reviewed a copy of the detailed response that Amazon sent to India’s Labour and Employment Ministry on June 24 this year on the government’s allegations of “certain workplace practices” at its Manesar warehouse.

The complaint related to hourly working targets assigned to workers was also taken up by the Haryana government’s labour inspection team. The inspection report found no written agreement between workers and the Amazon warehouse management, while workers told Al Jazeera that the targets were set verbally.

“There’s nothing more important to us than the safety and wellbeing of our employees and associates, and we comply with all relevant laws and regulations. Our facilities are industry-leading and provide competitive pay, comfortable working conditions, and specially designed infrastructure to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all,” an Amazon spokesperson said in an email statement to Al Jazeera.

A worker sorts delivery packages in a van outside an Amazon facility in Ahmedabad, India, October 5, 2021. Picture taken on October 5, 2021. To match Special Report AMAZON-INDIA/RIGGING REUTERS/Amit Dave
A worker sorts delivery packages in a van outside an Amazon facility in Ahmedabad, India, October 5, 2021 [Amit Dave/Reuters]

Monitoring of work

Amazon’s workers clock in a total of 10 hours at the Manesar warehouse. That includes two 30-minute breaks.

However, their work requires them to stand for the rest of the nine hours.

“We have to do all the tasks assigned to us on our feet. We are not allowed to even sit,” Supriya*, who works at the inbound department of the warehouse, said. Workers in the inbound department handle products that arrive in the warehouse from manufacturers and sellers. Workers unload products and help in organising and storing them.

Supriya said that the two 30-minute work breaks are insufficient. “We do have a canteen to go and rest, but the break of 30 minutes is too short for us to use the toilet, access our lockers, stand in the queue of the cafeteria, rest properly and come back to our workstation, all within that time window. There is no separate place to rest as well,” she said.

Amazon also acknowledged in its response to India’s Labour and Employment Ministry that it offers no other place for the workers to rest or sit other than the cafeteria.

“Our cafeterias are air-conditioned, comfortable and have adequate seating arrangement,” Amazon said in the June 24 letter to the Indian government. In addition to the two 30-minute breaks, Amazon said that workers are “free to [and] regularly take informal breaks”.

Amazon told the Indian government that the company is evaluating whether it can arrange for additional seating arrangements through cafeterias at the warehouse.

But Supriya disputed Amazon’s claim that workers frequently take informal breaks.

They simply can’t afford to, she said.

Supriya said she is often given a target of stowing 150 items per hour in the warehouse inventories, which she finds demanding. She complained of being heavily monitored at work. That makes it even harder to take breaks. Supriya explained that if she takes rest during the nine hours she is supposed to be working, the system logs it as “idle time”. Both Supriya and Prakash said that if workers are falling behind in meeting their hourly targets, including through “high” idle time, they may be handed over a “negative ADAPT”.

To review employee performance, Amazon is known to have been using a tracking software known as ADAPT, which stands for Associate Development and Performance Tracker (ADAPT) at its warehouses, including in other parts of the world as well, like the US and the UK. Supriya and Prakash said that if workers receive three negative ADAPT within a period of 22 days, they are blacklisted from working at any of Amazon’s warehouses.

Al Jazeera reviewed a copy of a negative ADAPT given to one of its workers at its Manesar warehouse. The written ADAPT notice asks the worker to sign an acknowledgement saying how their performance has not met expectations and that failure to improve may lead to termination of employment.

“People join Amazon with the aspirations of working at a multinational company. But the reality is that workers often report high pressure to meet unrealistic targets,”  Nitesh Kumar Das, an organiser at Amazon India Workers Association (AIWA), said.

“Based on our ongoing engagement with Amazon warehouse workers, it is clear that there are persistent issues regarding working conditions across Amazon’s facilities in India.”

Earlier this year, AIWA in collaboration with UNI Global Union, a global trade union for services sector workers, conducted a survey of more than 1,800 drivers and warehouse workers at Amazon’s India facilities. The survey revealed that more than 80 percent of warehouse workers found the targets set by the company for their work difficult to achieve.

Amazon termed the AIWA survey as “factually incorrect, unsubstantiated”, and in contradiction to the feedback it gets from its own employees. “The data being quoted appears at best questionable, and at worst deliberately designed to deliver on a specific narrative that certain groups are trying to claim as fact,” Amazon said in its statement to Al Jazeera.

While not specifically mentioning the ADAPT system, Amazon said that the company has performance expectations for its employees and it measures actual performance against those expectations. “When setting those targets, we take into account time in role, experience and the safety and well-being of our employees. We support people who are not performing to the levels expected with dedicated coaching to help them improve,” Amazon said.

But the practice of firing workers on receiving ‘three productivity flags’ has been acknowledged by the company’s executives in the UK. In January this year, French regulator CNIL had fined Amazon over $34m for “implementing an excessively intrusive system for monitoring employee activity and performance”. Amazon has appealed against the decision, terming it factually inaccurate.

Back at the Manesar warehouse, Supriya says she wants to be treated with dignity at work. The ADAPT system, she said, needs to be abolished so that she and her colleagues do not feel constantly monitored at work.

“We are working relentlessly to ensure that deliveries are on time,” Tirvan*, another associate who has been working at the Manesar warehouse for more than two years, said. “And all this time, the biggest worry for us at the end of the day is whether we are meeting our targets or not … This feeling should go.”

*Names changed to protect the identity of workers who fear retribution for speaking to the media



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Grinch Oreo Balls | The Recipe Critic

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Grinch Oreo Balls | The Recipe Critic


This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.

These are the cutest Grinch Oreo balls you have ever seen! Fudgy Oreo filling is coated in green candy melts and garnished with the cutest red heart sprinkle. They taste amazing and will steal the show this holiday season at holiday parties, family get-togethers, or Christmas events.

Angle shot of Grinch Oreo balls on a serving platter with one that has a bte taken out of it. Angle shot of Grinch Oreo balls on a serving platter with one that has a bte taken out of it.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Kid-Friendly: If your kids enjoy How the Grinch Stole Christmas as much as we do, then they will absolutely love these Grinch Oreo treats.
  • Easy to Make: These come together so quickly and easily. They are so fun, and you will be able to make them with your kids. They will love adding the cute red heart at the end!
  • Customizable: These are easy to switch up to make them for any holiday, theme, or occasion. Check out these thin mint truffles, pumpkin cream cheese truffles, and these adorable mummy cookie bites.

Ingredients Needed for Grinch Oreo Balls

The ingredients list for this recipe is short and sweet. You might have to do some digging to find the perfect shade of green and the right size of heart sprinkles, but once you do, easy peasy! Scroll to the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

  • Golden Oreo Cookies: I like to use golden Oreos for the sweet flavor and the ability to dye them the color I want. The fun thing about these Grinch Oreo balls is opening them up to the bright red filling.
  • Cream Cheese: Combined with the Oreo cookie crumbs, it makes the most amazing fudgy texture and flavor.
  • Light Green Candy Melts: Adds the whimsy and color to the candy shell that coats the bright red filling.
  • Large Red Heart Sprinkles: This treat wouldn’t be complete without the heart sprinkles. They would just be green truffles. The heart is what makes them look Grinchy.
Overhead shot of labeled ingredients.Overhead shot of labeled ingredients.

How to Make Grinch Oreo Truffles

This recipe comes together so quickly and easily. Just make sure you give yourself one hour of chilling time. I love making these with my girls. They love watching all the Grinch movies, and these Grinch Oreo balls are just the perfect treat to eat while watching.

  1. Food Processor: Add the Oreos to a large food processor.
  2. Blend: Pulse until you have fine cookie crumbs.
  3. Combine: Add the room-temperature cream cheese and mix until fully combined.
  4. Food Coloring: Add about ½ teaspoon of red food coloring and mix until combined, adding a few more drops to get a rich red color.
  5. Roll Balls: Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out 1 ½-inch portions and roll them into balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and then cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for about one hour.
  6. Green Candy Coating: Add the candy melts to a microwave-safe bowl and heat them in 30-second increments with the microwave at 50% power. Stir well between each increment. Use a fork to dip each ball into the candy melts and tap off the excess chocolate before carefully sliding the dipped ball onto a clean parchment-lined baking sheet. Place a heart sprinkle or red candy heart on top while the chocolate is still wet. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

Grinch Oreo Tips and Variations

  • Dipping Truffles: You can use a toothpick to dip Grinch Oreo balls, but I prefer a fork. The golden Oreos tend to have a softer Oreo truffle than the traditional chocolate Oreos.
  • Toppings: Use a variety of sizes of sprinkle hearts, grinchy sprinkles, or even just drizzling chocolate over the tops of the truffes.
  • Chocolate: Finding the right grinchy green chocolate can be a challenge! Stick with a light or electric green candy melts, or coating chocolate wafers. If you use white chocolate and want to color it green yourself, you will have to use an oil-based food coloring that is meant for chocolate. If you try using regular liquid or gel food coloring, the water base will cause the chocolate to seize.
  • Thin the Chocolate: Add a teaspoon or two of vegetable oil to the chocolate to help it stay smooth as it coats the truffles! You may need to reheat it once or twice in the process, just heat it very gently and stir it well.
  • Size: Make your truffles big or small! They are pretty rich, so don’t make them too big. Feel free to use any cookie scoop. Mine is 1 ½ tablespoons.
  • Types of Oreos: You can use all types of oreos. Red velvet oreos would be fun if you can find them this time of year. Classic oreos are always delicious as well.

How to Properly Store Grinch Oreo Balls

  • Refrigerator: Place Grinch Oreo balls in a single layer in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to one week.
  • Freezer: To freeze Grinch Oreo balls, place them in an airtight container and use sheets of parchment paper to separate layers. Freeze for up to three months.  Let them thaw for an hour at room temperature or several hours in the refrigerator.

Overhead shot of Grinch Oreo balls on a serving platter. Overhead shot of Grinch Oreo balls on a serving platter.

More Grinch-Inspired Holiday Treats

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  • Add the Oreos to a large food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs.

  • Add the cream cheese and mix until fully combined. Add about ½ teaspoon of red food coloring and mix until combined, adding a few more drops to get a rich red color.

  • Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out 1 ½-inch portions and roll them into balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover it with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

  • Add the candy melts to a microwave-safe bowl and heat them in 30-second increments with the microwave at 50% power. Stir well between each increment.

  • Use a fork to dip each ball into the candy melts and tap off the excess. Then, carefully slide the dipped ball onto a clean, parchment-lined baking sheet. Place a heart sprinkle on top while the chocolate is still wet.

  • Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

Calories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 2gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 125mgPotassium: 35mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 152IUCalcium: 17mgIron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.





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Kristel Fulgar makes relationship with Korean suitor official

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Kristel Fulgar makes relationship with Korean suitor official


Kristel Fulgar makes relationship with Korean suitor official

Kristel Fulgar (right) and her Korean boyfriend. Image: Instagram/@kristelfulgar

Kristel Fulgar revealed that she and her Korean suitor Ha Su Hyuk are officially in a relationship, after the latter became a member of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) like the actress.

Fulgar documented Ha’s baptism through a vlog entitled “Finally, my first boyfriend” on her YouTube channel on Friday, Nov. 29.

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The actress’ mom even flew to Korea to be with the pair for the event. The three of them also celebrated over a meal.

After the celebration, the couple had a conversation inside the car where Ha asked Fulgar if she’s ready to be in an official relationship. Fulgar first gave her baptism gift to Ha then agreed to making their romance official.

READ: Kristel Fulgar recounts emotional journey prior to rare-tumor surgery

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Fulgar first introduced Ha as her suitor through a vlog shared in February this year.

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Fulgar then disclosed in a later interview that she met Ha after a mutual friend introduced them to each other. The pair went on a date and instantly clicked, which led them to going on more dates.

Fulgar, a former “Goin’ Bulilit” cast member, moved to South Korea to study and pursue an acting career.

Fulgar, who speaks fluent Korean, also won awards in the said country, namely the 2023 Global Influencers Award and the Global Creator of the Year accolade at the 2023 APAN Star Awards.



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