MEPs examined working conditions at Amazon warehouses in Germany and Poland

An Employment and Social Affairs Committee delegation concluded a two-day visit to Amazon logistics centres in Germany and Poland, focusing on working conditions and algorithmic management.

On 26 and 27 October, seven Members of the European Parliament visited Amazon logistics facilities in Mönchengladbach and Dortmund, Germany, and Sosnowiec, Poland. The delegation, led by EMPL Committee Chair Li Andersson (The Left, Finland), also met workers and their representatives to discuss employment conditions and the challenges faced by employees in the logistics sector.

The visit gave MEPs the chance to examine working practices at Amazon facilities and to hear different perspectives on issues including workload, performance monitoring, workplace safety and the increasing use of automated systems in workflow and work organisation.

The delegation’s discussions also addressed the broader implications of digital technologies and algorithmic management for workers’ rights, particularly in relation to transparency, the setting of performance targets and the protection of employees’ health and safety.

Following the visits, EMPL Chair Li Andersson (The Left, FI) said:

“After visiting three different Amazon logistics centres, the Committee delegation lands on the same conclusion as that raised, for example, by labour inspectors: algorithmic management shaping the very conditions of work is hard to detect and even harder to evaluate. Workers are not aware of what data is gathered, what it is used for and how the performance standards are defined.”

The findings are particularly relevant to the ongoing debate on improving job quality across the European Union and to the European Commission’s forthcoming Quality Jobs Act.

Commenting on the fact-finding mission and the need for further legislative action, Li Andersson added:

“The visit to different Amazon sites has been informative: the most recent logistics models, based on greater use of algorithms, automation and robotics, do not seem to be conducive to improved working conditions in terms of reduced work pace and intensity. Increasing productivity targets lead to constantly rising performance expectations and monitoring, affecting mental health and occupational health and safety.

The case of Amazon therefore really shows why we need rules on algorithmic management and AI in working life, applicable to all companies and all workers, in the upcoming Quality Jobs Act.”

The delegation concluded its visit with a press conference in Katowice on Tuesday, 27 October, to present its observations and discuss the implications for EU employment and social policy.

Background

The European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs has been examining working conditions at Amazon and the broader implications of algorithmic management for workers’ rights.

In January 2026, the Committee held a hearing on working conditions at Amazon, including concerns raised by workers and their representatives about performance targets, workplace monitoring, occupational health and safety, and the impact of management practices on employees.

Amazon has disputed allegations concerning its employment practices and has emphasised its commitment to providing a safe working environment, competitive remuneration and opportunities for professional development.

The visits to the three logistics facilities in Germany and Poland allowed MEPs to follow up on these discussions, observe operations on site and engage directly with workers and their representatives.

The Committee’s work contributes to the European Parliament’s broader efforts to promote fair working conditions, strengthen workers’ rights and ensure that technological developments in the workplace are accompanied by appropriate safeguards.