Amazon drivers join New York Teamsters, Union says

Hundreds of delivery drivers for e-commerce giant Amazon.com have joined the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, seeking improved wages, working conditions and safety standards, the union announced Monday.

Workers at three Delivery Service Partners (DSPs) in Queens, New York are demanding Amazon recognize their union and negotiate a Teamsters contract, the union said.

Unionization efforts have increased in recent years as large numbers of contract workers across the country bargain with Amazon for better working conditions, consistent schedules and reasonable workloads.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The New York organization’s efforts mirror other workers in Palmdale, Calif., and Skokie, Illinois, who are also on strike, making similar demands.

Amazon said last week that it would increase compensation for its DSPs through a $660 million investment over the next year.

Earlier this month, a National Labor Relations Board prosecutor concluded that Amazon should be held jointly and severally liable with a contractor for allegedly using illegal tactics to discourage Atlanta delivery drivers from unionizing.

(Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva)

Photo: Amazon van.

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