Today, LaborLab released a report exposing Amazon’s escalating attacks on Delivery Service Partner (DSP) drivers. The report reveals that Amazon, despite claiming DSP drivers are independent contractors, has directly targeted them with union-busting tactics. This revelation underscores the company’s significant control over these drivers.
Amazon has invested substantial resources in labor relations consulting firms to counter unionization efforts among its employees. In 2023 alone, the company spent approximately $3 million on these services, with projections for increased spending in 2024. These firms have been deployed to dissuade DSP drivers from organizing, further solidifying the notion that Amazon exercises considerable control over their working conditions.
This report comes at a time when Amazon faces mounting pressure from labor organizations, including the Teamsters, who have been actively organizing DSP drivers. The NLRB’s recent complaint alleging Amazon’s joint employer status with DSP drivers in Palmdale, California, further strengthens the argument that these drivers are, in fact, Amazon employees.
