E-commerce powerhouse Amazon is under federal fire for alleged mistreatment of its contract delivery drivers, who drive Amazon-branded trucks and wear vests with the company’s logo but are not classified as Amazon employees, according to a bipartisan letter from 29 U.S. Senators.
The letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy requests information about the company’s Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program and the company’s so-called efforts to avoid legal liability for the persistent mistreatment of DSP drivers. The Senators say they are also seeking information regarding Amazon’s justification for refusing to bargain with union representatives of DSP employees and requiring DPSs to sign non-poaching agreements.
The signatories to the letter are led by U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Additional support for the letter came from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which expressed concerns that “Amazon’s DSP program is a scheme to avoid legal liability for high injury rates and the persistent mistreatment of DSP drivers.”
Specifically, the letter describes dangerous working conditions for DSP drivers, saying they are denied workplace relief such as air conditioning during extreme heat, snow tires in snowy weather, breaks during long work hours, and shifts with no access to restrooms.
In addition, the letter accused Amazon of taking steps to discourage the formation of unions. “Amazon is also facing numerous allegations of flagrant violations of the National Labor Relations Act, including refusal to recognize and bargain with workers who recently voted to unionize with the Teamsters, holding captive audience meetings to stifle worker organizing efforts, reducing DSP routes in response to union activity, and terminating DSP employees in retaliation for union organizing and other protected activities,” the senators said.
Additional signers of the letter include three Republican and 25 Democratic senators: Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Maizie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) Tina Smith (D-Minn.), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)
Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien echoed the claims in the Senators’ letter. “Amazon controls every facet of the job for DSP drivers, including their routes, vehicles, and uniforms, and subjects them to constant surveillance and harassment. Yet Amazon claims these workers are not its employees. It’s a joke. Everyone knows these are Amazon drivers,” O’Brien said in a release. “Amazon has created a vast delivery network that drives down wages and erodes safety standards, undermining what should be good American jobs in the logistics industry. We must work together to hold Amazon accountable and take responsibility for its workers.”
However, Amazon disputed the group’s charges, saying its Amazon-branded vans are equipped with the latest safety features, enabling reduced accident rates and lower injury rates for drivers than the industry average.
“This letter is misinformed and inaccurate. The safety and health of our employees, partners, and communities is our top priority, and since launching the Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program in 2018, we’ve invested more than $8 billion in state-of-the-art technologies, safety training, rates, programs, and services for DSPs and their drivers,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement.
“Contrary to false claims in the letter, all of these vehicles have air conditioning as a standard feature and routes are designed to allow for ample breaks. DSPs are small business owners and entrepreneurs who are creating good jobs, with great pay and benefits, for more than 275,000 drivers around the world. We strongly dispute the claims in the letter and look forward to sharing the facts,” Nantel said.
Editor's note: This article was revised on January 30 to include a statement from Amazon.
