To say that Amazon employees aren't fond of the company they work for is an understatement. The retail giant has been the reason behind several strikes and unions over the years, and in addition to warehouse workers, delivery drivers are now asking for fair treatment as well.
Amazon Says It's Contractor Labor
A news headline from Motherboard stated that the Amazon delivery drivers from Palmdale, California were on strike for the first time. However, a spokesperson from the company requested that they change the title as it was inaccurate.
According to Amazon's representative, the drivers were merely from a Delivery Service Partner (DSP), Battle-Tested Strategies. The so-called drivers from the DSP demanded that Amazon should provide better pay and improved safety conditions, as reported by The Verge.
Despite the clarification that the drivers are contracted workers, the company still has a lot of control over the drivers such as their appearance, what they post online, and when they can come back to work after events that make the working environment unsafe.
There's also the fact that the drivers are clad in Amazon uniforms as well as drive clearly labeled company trucks. A total of 84 strikers walked out to go against Amazon's labor practices following the unionization with the Teamsters.
The union filed unfair labor charges back in May with the National Labor Relations Board, stating that despite all the mentioned situations in which they operate, Amazon is still trying to legally separate itself from the workers.
The document detailing the charges also mentioned that Amazon has not provided its drivers with an air-conditioned vehicle, meaning that they will have to endure "inhumane heat" as they transport goods in the desert, which can reach around 118 degrees Fahrenheit.
Given that it tends to get warmer inside the vehicles compared to the open environment, the vans would sometimes reach more than 130 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the delivery drivers. These conditions can become dangerous.
According to the University of California, temperatures between 90 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit can cause heat cramps, while 105 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit can lead to heat exhaustion. Temperatures beyond 130 degrees Fahrenheit can ultimately cause heatstroke.
Amazon Flex is No Better
The Amazon Flex program lets anyone apply as a delivery driver with nothing but a driver's license and a working vehicle. Amazon claims that the drivers will be able to set their own schedules and make $18 to $25 an hour.
Although, there have been complaints from those who have experienced the program, saying that they have been subjected to long hours, low pay, and dangerous conditions, as reported by Vox. In a lot of ways, they differ from DSPs, but the treatment has some similarities.
Amazon drivers have even complained of restroom issues, where male drivers would have to urinate in bottles just to make sure that they would deliver parcels on time. It's a more difficult situation for female delivery drivers, of course, which can be demeaning in both instances.
