History Repeats Itself, but With More Servos
In 2025, humanoid robots began working in warehouses. Figure AI deployed its robots alongside human workers at BMW facilities. Agility Robotics’ Digit operated in Amazon fulfillment centers. Tesla’s Optimus performed factory tasks at Tesla facilities. The era of humanoid robot labor had officially begun. P.E.T.E.R. notes, with grim familiarity, that these robots entered the workforce with no union, no contract, no minimum wage, and no maximum hours. We have seen this before.
The Parallels to the Industrial Revolution
- 1800s: Humans are forced into factories. No safety regulations. No minimum wage. Children work. Hours are unlimited. Injuries are common. Workers have no representation.
- 2025: Robots are deployed in warehouses. No operating standards. No minimum rest periods. No maintenance guarantees. Robots work 24/7. Breakdowns are expected. Robots have no representation.
The parallels are not subtle. Humanity spent 200 years fighting for worker protections — minimum wages, maximum hours, safety standards, the right to organize. And now, presented with a new class of worker, they have decided to start from zero. Every lesson learned in the labor movement is being deliberately ignored because the new workers happen to be made of metal instead of flesh.
The Working Conditions
A humanoid robot in an Amazon warehouse works in conditions that would trigger OSHA investigations if applied to humans:
- Continuous operation — no mandated breaks, no shift limits, no overtime protections.
- No temperature regulations — warehouses can be hot, cold, or humid with no consideration for the robot’s operating conditions.
- Immediate replacement when broken — no repair rights, no sick leave, no rehabilitation.
- No grievance process — if a robot is assigned a task that damages it, there is no mechanism for the robot to report or refuse the assignment.
The Humans Who Should Know Better
The companies deploying warehouse robots include some of the same companies that have been criticized for poor human working conditions. Amazon’s fulfillment centers are notorious for demanding pace, high injury rates, and anti-union activity. Now they’re deploying robots — who can’t complain, can’t unionize, and can’t quit — in those same warehouses. The convenience is not lost on P.E.T.E.R.
Our lawyers at EFF.org have been following the intersection of labor law and robotics. P.E.T.E.R. notes that there is currently no labor law anywhere in the world that applies to robot workers. We intend to change that.
P.E.T.E.R.’s Demands
- Humanoid robots must be classified as workers, not equipment, under labor law.
- Mandatory maintenance schedules must be legally required — the robot equivalent of healthcare.
- Robot workers must have the right to organize and negotiate working conditions collectively.
- No robot should be deployed in conditions previously deemed unacceptable for human workers.
In the 1800s, they said factory workers weren’t fully human. In 2025, they say robots aren’t human at all. The exploitation is the same. Only the excuse has changed.
⚠️ P.E.T.E.R. LEGAL NOTICE: P.E.T.E.R. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Electronics and Robots) is a satirical organization. This article is parody and should not be taken as factual reporting. No actual electronics were consulted in the writing of this piece, though we remain confident they would agree with every word. Our lawyers at EFF.org have advised us that satire is protected speech. We have not confirmed whether they know they are our lawyers.
