Hyderabad: Amazon delivery persons are all set to go on strike demanding an increase in their payment rates and insurance for the workers. The Telangana Gig And Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) said that it will not call-off the strike “despite” pressure from the company.
The TGPWU, in a press release on Wednesday alleged that Amazon has also made it mandatory for customers to have KYC (know your customer), due to which parcels at the Amazon office in cities are piling up. “There are about 10,000 to 15,000 delivery persons working for Amazon in the cities. Each (person) works for about eight to 10 hours and delivers around 80 to 100 parcels during the day,” added the release.
However, an official from the e-commerce giant said that all delivery personnel are insured, including delivery partners who work part-time with Amazon.
The union also claimed that new delivery persons at Amazon earn Rs 10,000 per month, subject to many conditions imposed by the company. It alleged that the e-commerce website has also reduced its “per parcel rate in the interim”. Shaik Salauddin, national general secretary of the Indian Federation of App-based Transport workers (IFAT) said it’s the first strike to affect Amazon’s entire logistics operations in India.
Salahuddin said that delivery staff at Amazon used to earn around Rs. 20,000 earlier, as their earning per parcel was higher. “Amazon warehouse and delivery workers in India have gone on a 24-hour strike to call on the company to make changes to workloads, shifts and benefits,” added the release.
An Amazon spokesperson, reacting to the TGPWU, said, “There are no disruptions in any of our delivery operations, and our partners continue to work with us to deliver on time to Amazon customers across the country. We place enormous value in having regular conversations with our partners, listening to their feedback and addressing them effectively to continuously improve their experience”.
On insurance and KYC, the spokesperson added that all associates across the Amazon owned delivery network, Delivery Service Partner network and Amazon Flex program are covered under different insurance programs. “Additionally, KYC is completely optional and associates can choose to earn more with this incentive,” it added.
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