..in the meantime, the politicians are collecting, sorry, accepting funds for reelection campaign and/or whatever "philanthropic" foundation their chairs, from oligarchs, sorry again (those are the Russians), I meant, our billionaires, you know the regular one-percenters, while making sure that the loopholes in tax legislations remain open and accessible for those "poor" billionaires. What is really shocking is that we are still voting for the same bobbleheads.
17 Reviews
This is the price we pay for.....
tuppence-931596 June 2022
....online shopping. These companies are too big and powerful to control. If staff refused to endure these conditions they would have to come in line with every other British company. But that is NEVER going to happen.
Life and Death in the Warehouse
Prismark107 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Life and Death in the Warehouse is a harrowing docudrama. A polemic about a multinational company that dislikes paying taxes and vehemently opposes trade unions.
Based on real life cases of workers in warehouses and distribution centres. Megan is the new management trainee. On her first day at work she spots Alys an old childhood friend.
Megan is unprepared as to how demanding warehouse work is. Bullying is rife and accepted all in the name of customer focus.
The pick rate at the company has increased to 120 items an hour. Alys is falling behind and the reason is because she is pregnant.
Megan tries to help her only to be criticised by higher management. She was grassed on anonymously through the all knowing IT management system the company has. It calculates pick rates and toilet breaks.
As Megan is on probation herself. She needs to sing from the same hymn sheet and please Danny the reptilian senior manager.
For Alys it means working during a difficult pregnancy, work that involves walking up to 17 miles a day. Alys has a miscarriage which is bad publicity for the company.
You do not need to go to the Amazon to figure out who the multinational is. Ironically they own the website that you are reading this review on.
Temp workers who are never hired again if their work rate is not good enough. Those who are on green vests have more employment rights such as Alys. They are pushed into gross misconduct before they can be fired after a disciplinary hearing is held.
By condensing the events into a 60 minutes drama. It can leave the viewer angry and depressed. It also robs the drama of some plausibility.
As Alys finds out after she is offered a compensation package and a non disclosure agreement. There are no other jobs out there.
Based on real life cases of workers in warehouses and distribution centres. Megan is the new management trainee. On her first day at work she spots Alys an old childhood friend.
Megan is unprepared as to how demanding warehouse work is. Bullying is rife and accepted all in the name of customer focus.
The pick rate at the company has increased to 120 items an hour. Alys is falling behind and the reason is because she is pregnant.
Megan tries to help her only to be criticised by higher management. She was grassed on anonymously through the all knowing IT management system the company has. It calculates pick rates and toilet breaks.
As Megan is on probation herself. She needs to sing from the same hymn sheet and please Danny the reptilian senior manager.
For Alys it means working during a difficult pregnancy, work that involves walking up to 17 miles a day. Alys has a miscarriage which is bad publicity for the company.
You do not need to go to the Amazon to figure out who the multinational is. Ironically they own the website that you are reading this review on.
Temp workers who are never hired again if their work rate is not good enough. Those who are on green vests have more employment rights such as Alys. They are pushed into gross misconduct before they can be fired after a disciplinary hearing is held.
By condensing the events into a 60 minutes drama. It can leave the viewer angry and depressed. It also robs the drama of some plausibility.
As Alys finds out after she is offered a compensation package and a non disclosure agreement. There are no other jobs out there.
More of a docudrama than a drama
millordrak5 April 2022
I would have preferred a more well rounded, longer movie which included some scenes of their home life instead of just work. Theres also a bit too much complaining & people talking over each other was which was difficult to understand with the accents. If people hate this job so much they should just quit. Companies like this should be taken over the economy should to be redesigned to support local businesses, but this isnt the place for politics. Overall this is a good movie with good performances.
Very good social drama
skoskam1 June 2022
Just saw it on BBC1. It is shocking, but not surprising. Everyone knows what happens when we buy online. It is good to show so we can't say we didn't know about the working conditions in such warehouses. Very strong movie.
Everyone must watch this! - 5 star ***** BBC drama
Waffles-19928 March 2022
Life and Death in the Warehouse is a hard-hitting drama about what life is like for the thousands of workers inside the massive online retail warehouses. Tragically it is all too real with toilet breaks, conversations and 'pick rates' constantly measured and failing leads to ruthless off-boarding (sacking). The management's passive aggression and gaslighting is a like a constant smack in the face. I'm certain this will spark conversations about working conditions. Congratulations to the writer Helen Black and all the cast and crew involved in making this drama. It was brilliant and deserves all the awards.
Eye Opening
daviddunn-9065317 March 2022
I don't think I will be buying again from certain online shopping companies , after watching this heartbreaking short film.
It's eye opening seeing how some of the workers are treated in a quest to keep the "picking numbers" high. Its shocking that this treatment of workers happens in modern society. Fabulously acted by all concerned. .
It's eye opening seeing how some of the workers are treated in a quest to keep the "picking numbers" high. Its shocking that this treatment of workers happens in modern society. Fabulously acted by all concerned. .
Repeat ASAP
macduffthegaul13 March 2022
Harrowingly good, so honest. Makes you feel guilty using Amazon et al. Brilliant script, great cast. Craig Parkinson especially good as the sinister manager 'devoted to the customer and the team'. Let's hope the BBC repeat it in a much more prominent slot. Deserves at least one BAFTA award too.
Harrowing and thought provoking.
Sleepin_Dragon26 August 2023
Megan Roberts lands a new job at a Welsh Warehouse, where she bumps into Alys Morgan, a friend from her childhood. In a company obsessed with pick rates and speed, Megan
Definitely an eye opener, I think we all know the firm in particular that they're taking aim at, and if you've worked in such a place, you'll understand it. These places on the outside look terrific, smiling management, often amazing staff rooms, gyms, but the demands are diabolical.
Alys's story genuinely made me feel uncomfortable, it was sickening, and what's worse I imagine cases like this aren't just imagined.
Megan's story was equally interesting, her transformation from shy and naive employee to corporate monster was something.
Craig Parkinson was so good here, Dot was a pretty nasty character, but even he has nothing on this guy, what a monster. The cast were great I thought, every character meant something.
Some of the dialogue is shocking, off-boarding, such a polite term for getting the sack.
Forget customer is key, the only key here is cash, that's what drives these businesses, forget staff welfare, it's about the bottom line.
Guy wrenching, addictive viewing.
9/10.
Definitely an eye opener, I think we all know the firm in particular that they're taking aim at, and if you've worked in such a place, you'll understand it. These places on the outside look terrific, smiling management, often amazing staff rooms, gyms, but the demands are diabolical.
Alys's story genuinely made me feel uncomfortable, it was sickening, and what's worse I imagine cases like this aren't just imagined.
Megan's story was equally interesting, her transformation from shy and naive employee to corporate monster was something.
Craig Parkinson was so good here, Dot was a pretty nasty character, but even he has nothing on this guy, what a monster. The cast were great I thought, every character meant something.
Some of the dialogue is shocking, off-boarding, such a polite term for getting the sack.
Forget customer is key, the only key here is cash, that's what drives these businesses, forget staff welfare, it's about the bottom line.
Guy wrenching, addictive viewing.
9/10.
Shocking
elisaa-6329714 March 2022
A must watch
CirclingTheDrain12 March 2022
Unmissable drama about zero-hour contracts and the culture in a "fulfilment centre" of an unnamed ( but I think we can guess) online retailer, allegedly based on real events.
This should have been on BBC 1 or 2 at prime time not hidden away on BBC 3.
This should have been on BBC 1 or 2 at prime time not hidden away on BBC 3.
Feels like Black Mirror but scarier.
Kerriecarlisle14 March 2022
This was devastating.
It's disgusting, we all know what this warehouse this is.
No wonder he is one of the richest men in the world, this is how his staff are treated.
The acting is brilliant and direction.
Absolutely terrifying look at what is basically slavery.
It's disgusting, we all know what this warehouse this is.
No wonder he is one of the richest men in the world, this is how his staff are treated.
The acting is brilliant and direction.
Absolutely terrifying look at what is basically slavery.
Shocking
gareth28200112 March 2022
What an amazing show.
When we sit with our new gift from buying on line take a bit of time to think what the workers go through to get you your gift.
I'm going to try my best to shop local.
The cast made the show very realistic, thank you BBC for bring this issue to our attention.
When we sit with our new gift from buying on line take a bit of time to think what the workers go through to get you your gift.
I'm going to try my best to shop local.
The cast made the show very realistic, thank you BBC for bring this issue to our attention.
Excellent little film!
steve-sab-anthony18 June 2022
This is an excellent little film. Little, in terms of runtime & budget, enormous in terms of engaging story-telling that realistically reflects reality for a great many people, (even in some of the world's richest countries ~amplified in the rest) and indicates the true nature of the forces behind it.
Tightly written, concisely directed, convincingly acted, drone-shot punctuated efficient cinematography.
So much better than small stories told with big budgets.
Tightly written, concisely directed, convincingly acted, drone-shot punctuated efficient cinematography.
So much better than small stories told with big budgets.
Some things are meant for robots only.
therealjaysmoke1 December 2022
Watching this was sad, it was upsetting, it was silly, it was unbelievable but it was worth it. I can't imagine human beings are treated in such inhumane manner in a Western country. At some point I felt the employee, Alys was being extremely unfair to herself, her manager, her team and at times, I felt the chief manager was the devil himself. But with that said, it's this sort of problems that leads many industries to reply on robots to handle certain tasks. And I felt this was one of such service. There's no reason to put humans through this rigorous routine.
But I just say the acting was super impressive and believable. I enjoyed every bit of it and I wished it was abit longer.
But I just say the acting was super impressive and believable. I enjoyed every bit of it and I wished it was abit longer.
grueling to watch
mimosveta4 October 2022
From the very start, it was so stressful to watch. It reminded me of my last job, which wasn't even a warehouse job, it was an office job, in a cable company, and yet, the way people behave, the way they act like up is down, like everything you do is wrong, like ordinary things are life or death and vice versa.
I once asked to leave early, cause my tooth filling sorta came out, but it stayed stuck in my tooth, so I couldn't close my mouth properly. My boss barely agreed, clearly she thought I was lying. Then my dentist said he couldn't do it that day, and when I told my horrible boss that I won't be leaving early after all, she made me stay longer. For absolutely no reason. Just for asking to leave early. So I have no doubt that things like this also happen all the time. Fortunately my filling got back into place and later that day fell out completely so I could close my mouth by the end of the day, but still...
I once asked to leave early, cause my tooth filling sorta came out, but it stayed stuck in my tooth, so I couldn't close my mouth properly. My boss barely agreed, clearly she thought I was lying. Then my dentist said he couldn't do it that day, and when I told my horrible boss that I won't be leaving early after all, she made me stay longer. For absolutely no reason. Just for asking to leave early. So I have no doubt that things like this also happen all the time. Fortunately my filling got back into place and later that day fell out completely so I could close my mouth by the end of the day, but still...
The more things change...?
info-996-8285449 April 2023
Watching this, I was reminded of reading about Soviet style encouragements to greater productivity. The hardest workers were paraded and lauded as an example to the comrades, while those considered "lazy", were the victims of oppressive behaviour by the supervisors. All the time, the Communist Party, were the beneficiary of what might be analagous to "Customer Focussed" attention, that kept rearing it's ugly head throughout this film.
Ever wondered why these sort of businesses set up in depressed areas? A frightened workforce is a compliant workforce, and most here were complicit. Just as in the days of Soviet Labour, in todays so called market economy, fear and useful idiots are the business drivers.
Ever wondered why these sort of businesses set up in depressed areas? A frightened workforce is a compliant workforce, and most here were complicit. Just as in the days of Soviet Labour, in todays so called market economy, fear and useful idiots are the business drivers.
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