Amazon Says It Doesn’t ‘Employ’ Drivers, But Records Show It Hired Firms to Prevent Them From Unionizing::Amazon spent $14.2 million total on anti-union consulting in 2022, filings with the Department of Labor show.

    • krische@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      163
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Independent contractors. They’re like employees in almost every way except the legal way.

      • DrZoidberg@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        59
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        I’ve had Amazon packages delivered by some dude wearing basketball shorts and a t-shirt driving a random Toyota Corolla. It’s like they use Uber for delivery.

        • Nhickz@lemmy.one
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          17
          ·
          1 year ago

          Thats an amazon flex driver , its like a much more strict uber eats , they only hire so many flex drivers , but it works similar to uber , pick your hours , they normaly have a route between 1-3 hours , around 25-100 packages , used to be more , but they lowered it . Amazon has delivery service providers for the main vans , they are “self made companies” . Amazon provides the initial cash to start them , normaly charges them for the vans , and has nearly all controle over them . They live in a legal gray area , most have few enough “employees” to skirt large business laws .

        • Nommer@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          17
          ·
          1 year ago

          They do. I have a friend that makes some side cash delivering for them in his personal vehicle.

      • Earthwormjim91@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        1 year ago

        Usually not independent contractors. Amazon has contracts with other regional companies to do local deliveries and drivers are employees of these smaller companies.