BBC Three returns to air tomorrow, February 1, and they’ve saved some announcements. One of these is a new comedy show, Peacock, but I’m more interested in the new factual drama Life and Death in the Warehouse. Here’s what you need to know:
Inspired by the real-world accounts of warehouse workers from many different companies in Britain and around the world, Life And Death In The Warehouse is a factual-based drama, from BBC Factual.
It tells the fictional story of warehouse worker Alys, whose childhood friend Megan joins the same distribution centre as a trainee manager. In a desperate attempt to keep her new job Megan presses pregnant Alys to get her ‘pick-rate’ up, putting Alys and her baby at risk.
From the Bafta-winning team behind Killed By My Debt and Murdered by My Father, Life And Death In The Warehouse is an authentic exploration of working conditions in distribution centres, a world shrouded in secrecy where warehouse workers are subjected to a gruelling work regime and obsessive monitoring.
A boom in online shopping has led to an explosion of warehouse jobs, with around a million people working in distribution centres across the UK. In many towns, warehouse work is now one of the few options available to young people.
In the ‘customer-fixated’ culture of distribution centres, ‘idle time’ (toilet breaks and conversations) and ‘pick’ or ‘aspirational’ rates (number of items picked per hour) are constantly measured with 24-hour surveillance, which can lead to disciplinary hearings and ruthless ‘off-boarding’ (sacking.) Pregnant women routinely fall below their target ‘pick-rate’ and are subjected to constant CCTV and algorithmic surveillance, ‘self enhancement plans’ and monitoring.
Written by new screenwriter Helen Black, the drama brings together an exciting cast of fictional characters which include Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Megan (Peaky Blinders, The Left Behind, Luther), Poppy Lee Friar as Alys (In My Skin, Ackley Bridge, My Name Is Leon) and Craig Parkinson as Senior Manager Danny (Line Of Duty, Doctor Who, Four Lions). Additional cast include Kimberley Nixon as manager Donna, Aled ap Steffan as warehouse worker Devon, and Sion Daniel Young as manager Sean.
I can’t find details for a broadcast date, so will try to update when I do.
Symmetry Junction 