Amazon's Largest Conn. Facility Picketed; Northern Illinois Blue Star Express "Contractors" Strike -- With Teamsters' Backing. "Times, They Are A-Changin'"...

Last week, the largest Amazon warehouse/distribution center in Connecticut saw a three day picket / walk-out (aided by the Teamsters' affiliation). This week, we see a solid strike, in Skokie, Illinois (bordering Chicago to the north), by workers nominally employed as contract drivers for Blue Star Express -- but they drive Amazon trucks, and wear the Amazon uniform, as they zip about my adopted home town to the north and east.

We often see them sprinting here, from delivery to delivery, because the schedule they are required to meet leaves almost no time for lunches or bathroom stops. They are not paid a living wage. And Amazon's former strategy, of terminating the contractor firm, if ever a union is voted in, will no longer work. The Teamsters are aggressively challenging this, as an unlawful union busting tactic. Here's the latest:

. . .Amazon drivers at the DIL7 delivery station in Skokie, Illinois, struck June 26 over the company’s violations of federal labor laws.

A hundred drivers have organized with Teamsters Local 705 and are demanding that Amazon recognize and bargain with their union, after presenting cards signed by a majority of the workforce.

They’re nominally employed by a contractor, Four Star Express Delivery. But “every Amazon driver knows who our true employer is,” said driver Luke Cianciotto in a union statement. “We wear their uniforms and drive their trucks.”

Four Star Express is one of 2,500 “delivery service partners” that carry out package deliveries while Amazon retains full control. Amazon terminated the DSP’s contract on June 25, after giving workers two weeks’ notice.

The Teamsters allege this termination was illegal retaliation against the workers, who had already reached a majority on union cards. The workers marched on management June 20 to demand recognition.

Last year Amazon terminated the contract of another DSP, Battle-Tested Strategies in Palmdale, California, after 84 drivers organized with the Teamsters. BTS voluntarily recognized the union and agreed to a contract that would hike wages to $30 an hour, compared to the $19.75 drivers were earning before. . . .

Now you know -- [and the Connecticut story from last week is here]. Onward, to better days ahead.

नमस्ते