The row over working conditions at Amazon’s Dunfermline warehouse has prompted some to speak out in defence of the online giant.
However, the company also continued to come under fire, with one whistleblower claiming it treated its staff like “numbers”.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie urged constituents affected by “terrible working conditions” at Amazon to get in touch.
While some comments on his Facebook page were critical of Amazon, a number had no issues with the employer.
“Just want to say as a current employee I love my job at Amazon,” said one Facebook user.
Another commented: “As someone who has worked there, I think you are just jumping on the ‘let’s crucify Amazon’ bandwagon.”
But a source who contacted The Courier said Amazon workers felt “disposable” and “bullied” as they tried to reach unrealistic targets.
She said: “In the last couple of weeks, the employment agencies have come in with an Amazon worker and said ‘let’s see how you work’.
“They follow the worker through the corridors, making jokes about them. Nobody can see because they are alone in the corridor.
“When we enter at Amazon, there’s a ping pong table and a pool table, but the problem is nobody has the time to use these things. It’s impossible. It’s so they can say, look how well you’re being treated.”
Meanwhile, a former employee said conditions were worse for workers on temporary contracts.
“Within nine months, if you don’t become permanent, they let you go and you’re not allowed to return within eight weeks,” he said.
“That happened to me last year.”
He added: “You could go in one day and work for about an hour, then they could say there’s no more work so just go home.
“It would be alright for someone like me who stays locally, but there are people from Glasgow, Dundee and Perth.
“They get bussed in but it’s at set times. If these people get told to go home, they’ve either to get their own way home or hang around until the bus comes, which could be about five hours.”
A spokesman for Amazon said: “Amazon provides a safe and positive workplace with competitive pay and benefits from day one.
“The safety and wellbeing of our permanent and temporary associates is our number one priority.
“As with nearly all companies, we expect a certain level of performance from our associates. Productivity targets are set objectively, based on previous performance levels achieved by our workforce.
“We support people who are not performing to the levels expected with dedicated coaching to help them improve.”
