Amazon delivery firm allows its drivers to unionize with the Teamsters
source link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/04/24/amazon-teamsters-delivery-union/
Go to the source link to view the article. You can view the picture content, updated content and better typesetting reading experience. If the link is broken, please click the button below to view the snapshot at that time.
Amazon delivery firm allows its drivers to unionize with the Teamsters
Eighty-four workers at Amazon contractor Battle Tested Strategies in California have reached a contract with the Teamsters, a major step forward in the battle to unionize the workers who deliver packages for the e-commerce giant.
A group of Amazon delivery drivers and dispatchers who work for a contractor in Palmdale, Calif. have officially unionized with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a major step forward in the battle to unionize the workers who deliver packages for the e-commerce giant.
Last week, 84 workers at Amazon contractor Battle Tested Strategies reached a contract with the Teamsters, which the employer voluntarily recognized. Though the delivery drivers wear Amazon branded vests, drive Amazon branded vans, and deliver exclusively Amazon packages, they are not directly employed by Amazon. Their employer — a third party delivery company — recognized their union and negotiated their contract, not Amazon.
That contract includes an immediate wage increase as well as substantial future raises and addresses concerns, as well as addressing vehicle conditions and heat safety.
The delivery drivers told Amazon about their new union Monday, demanding the tech giant respect their right to a contract. Amazon governs wage floors, routes, delivery schedules, revenue and maintains the right to terminate and discipline drivers — and the new union contract will require that the company make changes to some of these terms.
Rajpal Singh, an Amazon delivery driver at the Palmdale delivery center said he’s hopeful that the contract will address compensation and safety issues.
“We just want fair pay and safe jobs,” Singh, 40, said. “I hope other drivers join in [because] what we deserve is not what we’re getting.”
Amazon did not have immediate comment, but in the past has vigorously defended its wages and safety record. In a 2022 safety report it published in March, the company said its accident rate has decreased significantly as it has rolled out more safety features in its fleet. And it has encouraged its direct employees to work with Amazon directly instead of unionizing.
Amazon relies heavily on contractors known as “delivery service providers,” who drive the blue-grey vans that deliver millions of packages every day to consumers’ doors. While not directly employed by Amazon, they power a huge swath of its logistics network — which now rivals the size of UPS.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
Recommend
About Joyk
Aggregate valuable and interesting links.
Joyk means Joy of geeK