Amazon employees in Ceará allege sub-minimum wage payments

More than 500 current and former Amazon customer service employees in Ceará, Brazil, have filed legal complaints alleging they receive monthly salaries below the national minimum wage. The workers, who perform telemarketing, customer service, and ombudsman duties via home office, report earning approximately R$ 1,389, while the national minimum wage is set at R$ 1,621.

The Telemarketing Workers and Employees of Telemarketing Companies Union of Ceará (Sintratel-CE) supports the claims, arguing that Amazon misclassifies these roles as retail commerce to justify hourly pay rates that fall short of the legal minimum. Workers also highlighted significant pay disparities compared to colleagues in São Paulo performing similar tasks for higher wages.

In a recent hearing at the 18th Labor Court of Fortaleza, no agreement was reached between the parties. Amazon stated it is aware of the complaints and is addressing the matter internally, maintaining that it operates in compliance with Brazilian labor laws.