Amazon cuts off three delivery companies publicly linked to deaths

[RBP]

The move is likely to affect some 2,000 delivery workers.

The move is likely to affect some 2,000 delivery workers.

Amazon has cut ties with three delivery contractors that were recently implicated in multiple deaths by a joint BuzzFeed News and ProPublica investigation. According to state documents obtained by the two publications, those companies now plan to lay off more than 2,000 employees, and in two of three cases, stop delivering packages for the e-commerce giant. The investigation that BuzzFeed News and ProPublica completed in September found the three companies -- Inpax Shipping Solutions, Sheard-Loman Transport and Letter Ride LLC -- often employed drivers with little experience and put them in difficult working conditions.

The reports last month describes how Amazon micromanages the delivery process, where drivers were pressured to hit delivery quotas of up to 300 packages in a single shift. Despite those steep requirements (in an eight-hour workday, that translates to completing about 37 deliveries every hour) the arrangement puts liability for accidents on drivers or their direct employer -- not Amazon. BuzzFeed News and ProPublica found evidence that suggests Amazon contractors have been involved in at least 60 major road accidents, 10 of which have lead to deaths.

"We work with a variety of carrier partners to get packages to Amazon customers and we regularly evaluate our partnerships," said an Amazon spokesperson in a statement to both BuzzFeed News and ProPublica. "We have ended our relationship with these companies, and drivers are being supported with opportunities to deliver Amazon packages with other local Delivery Service Partners."

[lost in melb.]

What's your take on this, RBP?

[RBP]

What's your take on this, RBP?

It has been a mess from the start. The vans are overloaded and the inefficient drivers have to be maniacs to get through the day. Many are not, but I have seen the vans flying through neighborhoods and wondered how people weren't getting killed. Apparently they were. There is almost no screening process for the drivers. Mind you, it can be an opportunity for decent cash for people, but that money should be available through an employment relationship with benefits.

This is the corporate pattern/trend in a broad sense. "Employees" are a core and everyone else is a "contractor". No responsibility for the company, no rights for the workers. People are sold on this model as freedom for labor... "be your own boss!". It's a sham to avoid liability and payroll taxes that will have broad repercussions over time.

And when the inevitable happens and the lawsuits fly, Amazon claims it isn't their problem and dumps the contractor. The contractor will go bankrupt making wrongful death claims useless, while the workers in an impossible position will end up with felony records, do time, and become unemployable. Uber killed the taxi industry and Amazon is killing retail. But at what cost? Look at the unemployment numbers by industry... retail is already over the cliff.

[lost in melb.]

It has been a mess from the start. The vans are overloaded and the inefficient drivers have to be maniacs to get through the day. Many are not, but I have seen the vans flying through neighborhoods and wondered how people weren't getting killed. Apparently they were. There is almost no screening process for the drivers. Mind you, it can be an opportunity for decent cash for people, but that money should be available through an employment relationship with benefits.

This is the corporate pattern/trend in a broad sense. "Employees" are a core and everyone else is a "contractor". No responsibility for the company, no rights for the workers. People are sold on this model as freedom for labor... "be your own boss!". It's a sham to avoid liability and payroll taxes that will have broad repercussions over time.

And when the inevitable happens and the lawsuits fly, Amazon claims it isn't their problem and dumps the contractor. The contractor will go bankrupt making wrongful death claims useless, while the workers in an impossible position will end up with felony records, do time, and become unemployable. Uber killed the taxi industry and Amazon is killing retail. But at what cost? Look at the unemployment numbers by industry... retail is already over the cliff.

It's either an example of the free-market not working. Or, more likely become corrupted. The public/private private/private model should work in principle.

I wish I had the insight to understand it better. I don't know why but I am reminded of the law in Australia whereby a farmer must keep trees on 5% of his land or something like that. There's a burden of responsibility/management/maintenance in all relationships.

[Pony]

I I am reminded of the law in Australia whereby a farmer must keep trees on 5% of his land or something like that. There's a burden of responsibility/management/maintenance in all relationships.

It's probably for wind. The trees act as a wind break keeping the soil from turning to dust and blowing away.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

It has been a mess from the start. The vans are overloaded and the inefficient drivers have to be maniacs to get through the day. Many are not, but I have seen the vans flying through neighborhoods and wondered how people weren't getting killed. Apparently they were. There is almost no screening process for the drivers. Mind you, it can be an opportunity for decent cash for people, but that money should be available through an employment relationship with benefits.

This is the corporate pattern/trend in a broad sense. "Employees" are a core and everyone else is a "contractor". No responsibility for the company, no rights for the workers. People are sold on this model as freedom for labor... "be your own boss!". It's a sham to avoid liability and payroll taxes that will have broad repercussions over time.

And when the inevitable happens and the lawsuits fly, Amazon claims it isn't their problem and dumps the contractor. The contractor will go bankrupt making wrongful death claims useless, while the workers in an impossible position will end up with felony records, do time, and become unemployable. Uber killed the taxi industry and Amazon is killing retail. But at what cost? Look at the unemployment numbers by industry... retail is already over the cliff.

You say that Amazon is killing retail, but retail in general has been giving themselves self inflicted wounds for years, Amazon saw the opening and took it. And they haven't completely killed it because huge retailers like Walmart and Target are doing just fine, they adapted to compete with Amazon. Stores like Sears and JC Penney have slowly been destroying themselves for years, all that blame doesn't lie at the feet of Amazon.

[lost in melb.]

It's probably for wind. The trees act as a wind break keeping the soil from turning to dust and blowing away.

Yes, most likely. My point was every farmer has to do it. You don't have one farmer in 10 making up for the others who strip the land completely.

But off topic...

[PorkChopSandwiches]

Please lets not use buzzfeed as a source