We got word last week that Amazon's work camper use was successful in all the locaions they tried it this year, so I figured writing was on the wall for Express and other temp firms. At locations that Amazon hired direct the pay was a little higher but you had to pay for your camping. We were told they will be opening up seasonal work to wok campers at all the fulliment centers by the 2011 season.
Below is letter Express sent out
January 20, 2010
Dear Valued Workamper:
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that we received termination notice yesterday of our contract with Amazon to hire Workampers for the 2010 peak season by an e-mail from them. I was stunned, to say the least, that they didn’t handle this situation with a face-to-face meeting or even a phone call. To add insult to injury, we heard from some of you yesterday that Amazon is in Quartsite, AZ right now recruiting Workampers for themselves!
We have worked with Amazon since opening our office in 2004. Through blood, sweat and tears, we found a solution to their staffing problem – YOU! The Workampers, although many of you were not treated with the respect and dignity you deserve, were actually a God-sent to Amazon, obviously, now that they are recruiting you themselves.
Kym and I would like to personally thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to Express as you worked exceedingly long hours in an extremely difficult work environment at Amazon. As I am sure you noticed by your local co-workers, you made our life so much easier these past three years by having people we could count on to show up and do their jobs. We cherish every acquaintance and friendship we have made by knowing all of you.
Please feel free to use us for a reference in any of your Workamping jobs and please give us a call or stop by to see us if you are ever in our part of Kansas. We would love to hear from you again!
Meanwhile, we have another company in our franchise territory that may benefit from Workampers as well as another one in a territory nearby and hope to be able to offer you another Express job by next fall. We will keep you posted.
Thanks again for your support, your kindness and the great job you did for us this past peak season.
Kind regards,
Mark and Kym Kays
Gary & Cheryl and our chocolate lab named Caddy
2005 Newmar Mountain Aire 4304 w/ Blue-Ox Sports Lift
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Wow....anyone know where they are here in Quartzsite? We have been through the Big Tent and didn't see them but may have missed them...
Lisa & Bill Dozer (Golden) & The Monsters (Cats Amiga, Gata Lu & Pumpkin) Waiting at the Rainbow Bridge - Mickey (Golden) & Tigre (Cat) 1998 36' Winnebago Adventurer - The MonsterMobile 2002 Chevy Avalanche
Viajo wrote: Wow....anyone know where they are here in Quartzsite? We have been through the Big Tent and didn't see them but may have missed them...
They are in the north aisle, about 1/3 the way down from the west entrance. Had a large banner with Amazon on it, don't know how you missed it.....LOL.
I thought the contract with amazon was just for the christmas season and was over every january or so anyway?...maybe express and amazon had issues we would never see or have the right to be involved with unless we were in express management....and work campers will still get the jobs so they just cut down on some expences of a middle man or company. I still like the way amazon does business. Too, bad for the people who were puttings their eggs in the express basket, but I bet amazon tries to get the ones who were the really good ones and work campers are still gonna be in the mix.
Happy Trails
Don
* This post was
edited 01/20/10 12:34pm by wepampercampers *
I'll be interested to see how it works out next year via comments of those working. I was in Coffeyville this season, and I can tell you that Express played an important part in sticking up for the workampers, buffering some of the bad feelings that were developing, etc. Express was not involved in the Reno, NV location, and the stories that came from there by those workampers were NOT good. They had to pay for their own camp site and were sent home before their shift ended so often that many of them were worried about breaking even campsite v. pay. I can't even imagine working that hard and not making a good profit from it. (The work is very physically demanding - I lost 10 pounds, and we were working 11 hour days five days a week). There is constant pressure to "make the numbers" even if you are working at top speed. Maybe it will be okay, but like I said, I'll be interested to hear from those who go back without Express looking out for their interests.
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Poor Express. Well, that's what happens to an ethical, kindhearted company in this economic climate. Sad. I feel awful for them because I know how hard they tried to make it a great experience for Workampers in KS.
On the other hand, the agency Amazon uses for a lot of their other locations, Integrity Personnel, was a nightmare to work for. I worked for them in Fernley and it was the Worst. Job. Ever. Not so much the work itself, which I was prepared for, but the horrible, insulting and demeaning way that Integrity treats it's worker bees.
If it's Integrity recruiting at Quartzsite, run far, run fast.
LiveWorkDream.com wrote: Poor Express. Well, that's what happens to an ethical, kindhearted company in this economic climate. Sad. I feel awful for them because I know how hard they tried to make it a great experience for Workampers in KS.
On the other hand, the agency Amazon uses for a lot of their other locations, Integrity Personnel, was a nightmare to work for. I worked for them in Fernley and it was the Worst. Job. Ever. Not so much the work itself, which I was prepared for, but the horrible, insulting and demeaning way that Integrity treats it's worker bees.
If it's Integrity recruiting at Quartzsite, run far, run fast.
Can you give any any specifics on Integrity? Just to make a better decision in case we run into them for another job...
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