Illinois House Delegation Stands with Delivery Drivers on Strike Against Amazon ULPs

(WASHINGTON) — A coalition of Illinois lawmakers are joining the Teamsters in demanding that Amazon respect federal labor laws and stop committing unfair labor practices against its delivery drivers in Skokie, Illinois.

Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Chuy García (D-Ill.), and Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), sent an oversight letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy today expressing concern over the company’s unlawful retaliation against Delivery Service Partner (DSP) drivers employed at its DIL7 delivery station.

“Amazon delivery drivers organizing with the Teamsters are courageously taking on one of the biggest corporate giants on the planet,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Instead of respecting workers’ rights to organize, Amazon responds with bullying and lawbreaking—once again proving exactly what Teamsters have been saying about this company’s exploitative DSP program. But Amazon drivers in Skokie refuse to be intimidated by the white-collar criminals running this company. The Teamsters Union appreciates the support of elected officials who are showing real backbone against Corporate America by standing with these brave workers.”

In their oversight letter to Jassy, lawmakers demand that Amazon respect workers’ rights under the National Labor Relations Act to organize for better wages and working conditions. The letter cites a litany of unfair labor practice (ULP) charges against Amazon, including its implementation of a hiring freeze at the DIL7 facility in response to union activity and illegally surveilling and terminating workers for attempting to organize a union.

“As members of the Illinois Congressional delegation, we are committed to ensuring that Amazon respects the rights of all its workers, including its DSP drivers in Skokie, Illinois,” lawmakers wrote in the letter, giving Amazon until July 11 to respond to credible reports of unlawful intimidation and retaliation. The letter was co-signed by an overwhelming majority of the Illinois congressional delegation, including Democratic Representatives Sean Casten, Danny K. Davis, Bill Foster, Jonathan Jackson, Robin Kelly, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Mike Quigley, Delia Ramirez, Eric Sorensen, and Lauren Underwood.

The 100 drivers who organized with Teamsters Local 705 initiated a ULP strike on June 26 and are demanding that Amazon recognize their union and negotiate a fair contract. They are seeking better wages, affordable health care, and safe working conditions.

Amazon avoids responsibility for its drivers through its DSP subcontractor business model while exercising total control over the wages, workplace conditions, and safety standards of the DSPs. The drivers in Skokie organized with the Teamsters at Amazon’s Four Star Express Delivery DSP and insist that Amazon is their true employer and must be held accountable.

“Amazon tries to keep workers divided—separating drivers from warehouse workers and separating different DSPs. My co-workers and I organized our union with the Teamsters because we care about and show up for each other. It’s Amazon who controls our working conditions and it’s Amazon who needs to recognize our union,” said Michael Daddio, one of the striking Amazon drivers from the DIL7 facility.

The Teamsters recently joined Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and a bipartisan coalition of over 30 Senators in demanding that Amazon cooperate with a Congressional inquiry requesting information on its exploitative DSP program.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters. 

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