Amazon driver strike extends its picket line, spreading from Illinois to Doraville

DORAVILLE, Ga. — On Wednesday, unionized Amazon delivery drivers drove from Skokie, Ill. to Doraville to expand their unfair labor practice picket line.

Members of the Teamsters who are part of Skokie’s Local 705 drove to the Amazon warehouse in Doraville as part of their efforts to have the retail giant recognize their union and to have them bargain with the Teamsters Union for a fair contract.

More than 100 Amazon drivers from Skokie have been on strike over what they say are unfair labor practices and mistreatment of workers since late June, with the organization saying they’ve held so-called picket extensions at Amazon facilities in New York, before coming to Georgia.

“Amazon drivers from Skokie are demanding the company provide affordable, quality health care, safe working conditions, and fair wages as many drivers struggle to make ends meet while living paycheck to paycheck,” the union said in a statement. “Amazon routinely dodges responsibility for its drivers through its Delivery Service Partner (DSP) subcontractor business model, even though it exercises total control over the wages, workplace conditions, and safety standards of its DSPs.”

Channel 2 Action News reached out to Amazon for comment and received the following statement:

“This protest was initiated and attended by outside organizers and individuals who don’t work for Amazon – and has had no impact on our operations or ability to deliver for customers. We’re incredibly proud of our growing network of Delivery Service Partners (DSPs) and drivers and the service they provide for Amazon customers around the world. DSPs hire and manage their own employees but receive support from Amazon to help them be successful, including access to Amazon’s delivery volume, technology, and discounts on things like vehicle leases and comprehensive insurance. Today, Amazon works with more than 3,500 DSPs around the world that employ more than 275,000 drivers, who safely deliver more than 10 million customer packages every day.”

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