'Prioritizing Deliveries and Profits Over Workers': The Experience of Being an Amazon Delivery Person and the Motivation Behind Some Strikes
Tons of Amazon delivery drivers quit their jobs on a Thursday, voicing their discontent not only for improved working conditions and wages, but also for Amazon to acknowledge them as actual employees.
Donning Amazon vests, navigating Amazon vehicles, and handling only Amazon parcels, numerous drivers find themselves categorized as contracted laborers through independent third-party firms, referred to as "Delivery Service Partners," by Amazon itself.
In response, Amazon gushed about its pride for the Delivery Service Partner program: "We’ve spurred 4,400 entrepreneurs to set up and expand their businesses, which have in turn created 390,000 driving positions and generated $58 billion in revenue," stated Nancy Kattel, a spokesperson for Amazon.
This week, another clash between Amazon and its delivery drivers surfaced, as Teamsters union members instigated strikes at Amazon facilities spread across New York, Illinois, Georgia, and California. Drivers complain about poor compensation and excessive workload.
Thomas Hickman, a 34-year-old delivery driver in Georgia, expressed that his job can be harsh, requiring around 12 hours daily to manage hundreds of packages with minimal breaks.
“The pay is substandard. The health insurance is substandard,” Hickman said. “We require better working conditions. If we have over 400 packages, we need a companion with us, to journey with us.”
Reiterating that the Teamsters represent several Amazon workers nationwide (totaling less than 1% of the company's US workforce), Amazon refuted their involvement in the strike, dismissing the Teamsters' claims as misleading propaganda.
“The Teamsters have gone on purposely deceiving the public, claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers.’ They don’t, and this is their latest attempt to perpetuate a false narrative,” asserted Kelly Nantel, a spokesperson for Amazon.
Long hours, minimal support
Hickman, who has been with Amazon for four months, mentioned that he initially welcomed the opportunity to work as a delivery driver, but the intense package deliveries, focus on speed, and lack of colleague assistance have taken a toll on him, resulting in an injury.
“It has been detrimental on my body,” Hickman said. “It has been detrimental to everyone’s body.”
Samantha Thomas, a delivery driver with Amazon for seven months, enjoys meeting customers on her delivery routes. However, she urged Amazon to better support its staff.
“We hope for the company to value us more, so we can value our jobs more, and show up better for these jobs,” Thomas said.
Ash’shura Brooks, 29, commenced her delivery driver job at an Amazon warehouse in Skokie, Illinois, in October 2023.
Brooks, a mother to a 7-year-old, described her job as putting excessive pressure on her to deliver packages swiftly amidst extended hours and a lack of safety measures.
For instance, she pointed out an instance where she was ordered out for a delivery route despite freezing temperatures, illustrating the absence of leniency in her job, which contributed to her stress.
“You either compromise your safety to accomplish things faster or you sacrifice your job for a safer approach,” she said.
Brooks expressed hope that recipients of packages during the Christmas and Hanukkah seasons would empathize with the drivers’ needs but primarily, she pleaded with Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, to listen to his workers.
“It is unfortunate that American society has evolved to prioritize packages and profits over individuals,” Brooks said.
“These are the same people who are delivering your packages to your customers, yet you are so single-mindedly focused on the profit that you are not listening to these people working for you,” Brooks added. “And this has to change.”
The Teamsters base their argument on Amazon's $2 trillion market value, claiming that the company possesses ample resources to cater to its workers. Amazon, however, reported a net income of $39.2 billion in the first nine months of this year, more than double compared to the same period in 2023.
“The reality is, they make trillions of dollars, and they can’t pay us for the work we do,” Hickman said.
Amazon denies labeling them as Amazon employees
The confusion surrounding the employer-employee relationship has instigated heated debates lately, with legal battles over whether Amazon is the responsible party for improved wages and benefits for its contracted laborers.
Trenton Knight, a delivery driver in Georgia with five months of experience, emphasized that drivers feel overlooked since their work-life balance is disregarded. He suggested better benefits and wages, as well as acknowledgment as Amazon employees, to remedy the situation.
“If we weren’t their workers, we wouldn’t be driving their vehicles, we wouldn’t be donning their outfits, we wouldn’t be delivering their packages,” Knight asserted.
According to Amazon's spokesperson, Nancy Kattel, the Delivery Service Partner program has helped spawn 4,400 businesses and create 390,000 driving positions, generating $58 billion in revenue. Despite this, delivery drivers like Thomas Hickman and Samantha Thomas express the need for better support and better working conditions, citing long hours, minimal breaks, and poor compensation as their primary concerns.
