Amazon Lets Muslim Workers Put Ramadan Before Prime Day
- Muslim workers in Minnesota sought accomodation for fasters
- Workers say retailer has promised prayer rooms, less pressure
An employee moves a pallet of boxes at an Amazon.com Inc. fulfillment center.
Photographer: Victor J. Blue/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The run-up to Amazon Prime Day, the e-commerce giant’s big July sales promotion, overlaps with Ramadan, 30 sacred days during which many observant Muslims fast and seek time off.
That’s creating tension in Minnesota’s Twin Cities region, where activists say Amazon.com Inc. employs more than 1,000 East African Muslim immigrants at four warehouses. Amazon needs to stuff its facilities with inventory in preparation for one of its busiest days of the year at the very time many of those workers want a break.