Workers Essential was launched in late 2020 in response to reports of worker abuse around the country. Now, Amazon DSP drivers are speaking out about their working conditions. What follows are excerpts of actual statements made by Amazon delivery drivers working in the state of Iowa.
On the human cost of same day delivery:
“There are constantly safety issues. The operations staff is abusive, and I have illegal pay deductions.”
“No breaks. I haven’t taken a lunch break. If I take breaks, I get behind. I have to eat while working and pee in a bottle. (Amazon) can’t get routes right. We have bald tires in unsafe vans and need more training.”
“Our DSP company doesn’t care about our well-being. We receive limited support. The DSP doesn’t maintain their vehicles and many have mechanical issues.”
“They (Amazon) push, push, push getting packages delivered and not bringing anything back to the hub. This winter I talked to a tow truck driver who had towed 22 Amazon vehicles out of snow in just three days.”
“My DSP company is more concerned with speed and volume than with driver safety and vehicle maintenance.”
“Every change made during my time has made it harder for delivery drivers. There hasn’t been one change that has benefited drivers.”
“Everything they do contradicts their own rules and they take micromanaging to a new level. It has gotten so bad I spend my days off looking for a new job.”
“Amazon doesn’t see color or people. They see tools to be used and discarded. The turnover rate at my DSP company is close to 400% since I started just ten months ago, and the other companies that operate out of my warehouse are likely much worse.”
“People need to understand, we risk our lives in poorly maintained vans, our bodies from repetitive motions and dog bites, and our sanity from Amazon’s crazy rules, just so someone can get their sex toy the same day they ordered it.”
“Amazon’s Mentor app ‘dings’ us for stuff that never happened. When you call them out on it, they say they can’t fix it, so you have to deal with points being deducted for no reason, bonuses and pay being denied without cause, and just hope that you don’t get fired for something you never did and have no control over.”
“It starts at morning loadout when Amazon employees yell at us through bullhorns from a few feet away. It ends with being fired for no reason. We want you to get your package. We aren’t against our own companies. We just need people to start telling Amazon that we are not robots, but human beings.”