I Stand With Amazon Drivers Demanding Safe, Fair Conditions

Amazon limits how many water bottles its drivers can carry during 10 hour shifts in scorching heat. Many vans lack functional air conditioners, turning the vehicles into scorching ovens. The company closely surveils drivers to ensure they make the mandatory 400 stops per day.1

That’s why Amazon delivery workers in Palmdale, California voted in April to unionize with the Teamsters. The Palmdale workers won union recognition with their delivery contractor, and negotiated a contract to increase wages and improve safety.1

But Amazon refused to recognize the union, and then unlawfully terminated the workers. The Palmdale drivers are now on strike, and leading picket lines at Amazon facilities across the country.2 We need to stand with these workers demanding fair treatment from Amazon!

The Palmdale workers work exclusively delivering packages for Amazon, but nominally they worked for an Amazon contractor called Battle Tested Strategies (BTS), one of Amazon’s 2,500 delivery service partners. Amazon maintains complete control over these contractors, but refuses to take any responsibility for the workers. So, when the Palmdale BTS workers organized a union, Amazon simply terminated their contract with BTS, effectively firing the workers for organizing.1

Amazon’s behavior is blatantly illegal union-busting. But the company is hiding behind its contracting system to avoid responsibility.2

The Palmdale workers and the Teamsters aren’t backing down. The workers went on strike beginning in June, and have extended their picket lines to seven other Amazon delivery locations, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, and California. They pledge the strike will continue until Amazon reinstates the unlawfully terminated Palmdale employees, recognizes the union, respects the contract negotiated by the workers, and bargains with the Teamsters to address low pay and dangerous working conditions.2

These Amazon workers are bravely standing up to a $1.4 trillion company with a long history of vicious union-busting. We need to send Amazon a message that we have the workers’ back!