With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Amazon Gig Workers Protest For Better Pay In Redondo Beach Amid Rising Gas Prices
Logos from Amazon, Uber Eats, Instacart and Doordash displayed on a smartphone on April 10, 2020.
(
Olivier Douliery
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
Drivers for Amazon Flex held a protest this morning outside the company's warehouse in Redondo Beach, demanding higher pay amid a rise in gas prices.
The company, part of the corporate behemoth Amazon, allows gig workers to use their cars to deliver packages on their own schedule, much like Uber or Instacart.
MWA Uber drivers are with Amazon Flex delivery workers in Redondo Beach calling on these tech giants to increase driver pay rates as gas prices soar!
— Mobile Workers Alliance (@mobile_alliance) March 16, 2022
Because we're misclassified as independent contractors by these companies, we get little or no support from them for gas! pic.twitter.com/YRlHLBV5Cn
On its website, the company offers a seemingly sweet and simple formula to attract new drivers: "Make deliveries. Get paid, enjoy life, repeat."
Support for LAist comes from
Driver Katherine Cote said that's not possible on her wages, especially while paying for gas out-of-pocket.
"That gas has doubled right now. That's too heavy, because we drive a lot, so that's expensive," Cote said. "We can't drive anymore with Amazon if they don't help with the gas right now."
The single mother of two has been driving for Amazon for two years and said she needs more support from the company.
"I don't have savings because I buy everything, [even my own] gas," she said. "So I'd say right now I don't win the normal pay [like] normal employees in California."
In a statement, the company said its drivers "earn among the best in the industry at over $26 per hour on average" and that the company has and will continue to make changes to "ease some of the financial challenges."
The campaign is organized by the Mobile Workers Alliance, a group backed by the Service Employees International Union. SEIU is also behind workers’ rights efforts for Uber drivers.
Support for LAist comes from
In November 2020, California voters approved Proposition 22, which allowed Uber and Lyft and other gig workers to remain as independent contractors instead of becoming employees. The ride-sharing tech giants spent around $200 million persuading voters to support their gig-worker economy.
Amazon, for its part, has come under pressure from regulators, labor organizers and workers in the past few years over its labor practices. Just yesterday, workers at three delivery stations staged walkouts over break times and low wages, and the company has been accused of violating labor laws after union supporters were arrested in Alabama. In September, California became the first state to pass a law protecting workers' break time, warning Amazon against penalizing workers who fail to meet specific quotas when they take advantage of legally protected rest breaks.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
Best of LAist