US lawmakers demand links with Amazon Cut Last-Mile contractors



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<p class = "web-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Three US senators invoke Amazon.com, Inc. & nbsp;(NASDAQ: AMZN) to stop dealing with delivery drivers who violate federal labor laws and circumvent motor carrier regulations. "data-reactid =" 27 "> Three US senators call Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) to stop dealing with contracted delivery drivers who violate federal labor laws and circumvent motor carrier regulations.

<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "In a Letter of September 12 Jeff Bezos, President of Amazon, Senators Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts), Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut) claimed that Amazon's delivery standards "impose unfair and dangerous conditions" on its subcontractor companies and their drivers who make deliveries in the last kilometer. "data-reactid =" 28 "> In a letter addressed to President and CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, Senators Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts, Sherrod Brown) and Sherrod Brown (Ohio, USA). Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) said that Amazon's delivery standards "impose unfair and dangerous conditions" on subcontractors and their drivers who deliver in the last mile.

"Amazon should actively and proactively monitor the companies it deals with and ensure that its contractors comply with labor laws and safety regulations," they wrote. "We urge Amazon to immediately stop dealing with entrepreneurs who violate labor laws and promote standards that protect its drivers and ensure public safety."

<p class = "canvas-atom-canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The demands of the legislators were motivated by a One year investigation into the practices of Amazon contract drivers by BuzzFeed. The report revealed that Amazon continues to sign contracts with "at least a dozen" last-mile delivery companies that have been sued or cited for failing to pay overtime, denial of breaks and harassment sexual. "Data-reactid =" 30 "> Legislators' demands were motivated by a one-year investigation into the practices of Amazon's contract drivers by BuzzFeed. The report revealed that Amazon continues to sign contracts with "at least a dozen" last-mile delivery companies that have been sued or cited for failing to pay overtime, denial of breaks and harassment sexual.

<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The report also indicates that the company was able to circumvent the federal regulations using vehicles whose weight limits are directly under the supervision of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, giving Amazon a competitive advantage over FedEx and UPS. The purchase of 20,000 Sprinter vans for its "Delivery Service Partner" program. "Data-reactid =" 31 "> The report also states that the company was able to circumvent federal regulations by using vehicles whose weight limits are directly under the supervision of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which gives Amazon a Competitive advantage over FedEx Amazon has sought to strengthen this advantage last year by purchasing 20,000 Sprinter vans for its "Delivery Service Partner" program.

The stock of Amazon down 6.55 points in mid-day on September 13. Source: SONAR

In a statement to FreightWaves, Amazon stated that the company had a strong track record of labor and safety compliance with its subcontractor network, which "respected or exceeded the law," and that it continued to promote improvements.

"We also need all-risk insurance, competitive salaries, hours of work and many other guarantees for our delivery service providers, as well as regular audits to ensure compliance." ", said Amazon. "Security is and will remain Amazon's top priority, as evidenced by the large percentage of deliveries that arrive on time and without incident."

Legislators have however asserted that, although Amazon has repeatedly stated that it was not responsible for the working conditions of its contractor drivers, "it is clear that the aggressive management style imposed by Amazon to the distribution companies with which it contracts is a major contributor to the harsh conditions drivers face and has led to a chain of worker abuse ".

They asked Bezos to answer a list of questions by 27 September, including:

  • Will Amazon commit to ending contracts with companies that have violated labor laws or have a bad track record?
  • Will Amazon commit to publicly divulging the delivery companies with which it subcontracts?
  • How often and to what extent does Amazon verify compliance with labor legislation with its delivery service providers and warehouses?
  • Does Amazon believe that its third party drivers and warehouse workers should be able to organize?
  • How often and to what extent does Amazon verify that its service providers are complying with transport safety standards?

The Amazon Independent Business Practices Survey follows a number of decisions this year by the National Labor Relations Board favoring employers on the issue of independent contractor status, including a recent decision stating that the classification erroneous employees is not considered a violation.

Image from Google

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