A group of Amazon contract drivers in Palmdale, California, has joined the Teamsters union and reached a tentative agreement with their employer, a third-party delivery contractor for the e-commerce giant.
The drivers and dispatchers, who work for Battle-Tested Strategies, won voluntary recognition by the company after a majority of them signed union authorization cards, according to a statement by Teamsters Local 396 on Tuesday. The union said the workers negotiated a contract that includes wage increases, health care benefits, paid time off and retirement contributions.
The agreement covers 84 workers at the DAX8 facility, where they wear Amazon uniforms and drive Amazon-branded vans. The workers will vote on ratifying their contract in the coming weeks.
The unionization effort comes after Amazon successfully defeated a high-profile campaign by workers at its warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union earlier this year. Amazon has more than 1.3 million employees worldwide and about 800,000 in the U.S.
The workers in Palmdale are part of a growing movement of Amazon workers who are organizing with the Teamsters across the country to demand better working conditions and respect from the company that profits off their exploitation, said Ron Herrera, Director of the Teamsters Package Division and International Vice President.
Amazon disputed the unionization effort and said it terminated its contract with Battle-Tested Strategies due to performance issues. The company said it has a strong track record of supporting employees and partners with excellent pay, benefits and a safe workplace.
The Teamsters represent more than 1.4 million workers in North America, including many in the delivery and logistics industry. The union has launched a national campaign to organize Amazon workers and challenge its power and influence over workers, communities and democracy.
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