On Thursday, Motherboard reported that Amazon delivery drivers in Palmdale, Calif., went on strike, a first for the company. The drivers, who joined forces with the Teamsters in April and were recognized by Amazon’s “Delivery Service Partner” (DSP) Battle-Tested Strategies in May, are demanding better pay and improved safety conditions. The 84 striking workers left their strikes on Thursday.
Motherboard’s original article was headlined, “Amazon Delivery Drivers Resign in First-Ever Driver Strike.” An Amazon representative then emailed the publication asking that the headline be changed. From the Motherboard article:
“I’m writing to ask if you would be willing to update your headline for the story you just posted,” the spokesperson wrote. “These drivers are said to be ‘Amazon drivers’ and that is inaccurate as they are employed by Battle-Tested Strategies. Would you update the headline to say “Driver Delivers for Amazon”?”
But Amazon, which uses contractor labor for the majority of its fleet, exercises a great deal of control over those people it doesn’t technically employ. Beyond the fact that they wear Amazon apparel and typically drive delivery trucks covered in Amazon artwork, the company has tightly controlled how its drivers look and post online, and exercises control over when drivers can return, when conditions are unsafe, forcing them to use their services Drivers accept the cessation of AI monitoring.
Although these drivers wear Amazon uniforms, drive Amazon trucks, identify themselves as Amazon employees, are continuously monitored and monitored by Amazon managers, and receive their work orders from Amazon, Amazon has attempted to legally disassociate themselves from them through a sham “delivery service.” Employees to separate partners” structure (“DSP”). Under this DSP structure, Amazon finds individuals — often with little or no experience running businesses — and pretends to help those individuals “start” businesses while simultaneously selling them a false fantasy.
The complaint also notes that Amazon provides branded trucks and uniforms, sets goals and terms, unilaterally fires employees, and more. According to the document, Battle-Tested Strategies also operates from the same Amazon facility, DAX8, as three other “similarly proprietary” DSPs.
The document also describes the conditions drivers face, including driving without air conditioning in “inhuman heat” in the desert, where temperatures can reach as high as 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Drivers speaking to Motherboard described internal temperatures of over 130 degrees, which felt “like stepping into an oven”.
Such conditions are not uncommon in the delivery world. In fact, last week the Teamsters, despite representing more than 340,000 drivers, reached a tentative deal to fit air conditioning — air conditioning! – in all UPS small package delivery vehicles.