News Brief: Amazon Flex Drivers Report Job Insecurity and Unfair Practices
Summary
Amazon Flex drivers, who work as independent contractors delivering packages, report a culture of fear, alleging unfair deactivation from the platform over disputed or automated allegations. While Amazon states terminations involve manual human review, drivers describe battling bots to secure work and struggling to appeal automated warnings, with some cases now before the Fair Work Commission.
Key Points
- Culture of Fear: Drivers live in fear of being terminated from the Flex app for errors or unproven allegations, making them feel they are “walking on eggshells.”
- Battle with Bots: Competitive delivery shifts are often snatched by bots, a breach of Amazon’s terms that drivers say goes unpunished.
- Automated Allegations: Drivers receive automated warnings for alleged infractions like late deliveries, even when they have valid explanations, and find it “impossible” to speak to a human to appeal.
- Amazon’s Stance: Amazon states it is clear with its expectations and that deactivations are rare, involve “manual human review,” and a right to respond.
- Fair Work Cases: At least two unfair deactivation claims are before the Fair Work Commission, including a driver with 22,000 successful deliveries who was terminated after a disputed complaint, severely impacting his mental health.
- Gig Economy Rights: New national laws grant gig workers additional rights, including protection from unfair deactivation, with unions advocating for a more transparent system.
新闻简报：亚马逊Flex司机报告工作无保障及不公平待遇
总结
作为独立承包商为亚马逊送货的Flex司机报告了一种恐惧文化，声称因有争议的或自动生成的指控而被不公平地从平台上封禁。尽管亚马逊表示封禁涉及人工审核，但司机们描述了为抢工作与机器人程序斗争以及难以为自动警告申诉的困境，目前已有一些案件提交至公平工作委员会。
关键点
- 恐惧文化：司机们生活在因错误或未经证实的违规指控而被Flex应用封禁的恐惧中，感觉”如履薄冰”。
- 与机器人程序斗争：有竞争力的送货班次常被机器人程序抢走，这违反了亚马逊的服务条款，但司机们表示这种行为未受惩罚。
- 自动化指控：司机会收到关于诸如送货迟到等违规行为的自动警告，即使他们有合理解释，并且发现”不可能”与真人沟通进行申诉。
- 亚马逊的立场：亚马逊表示其期望很明确，封禁情况罕见，涉及”人工审核”，并且司机有回应权。
- 公平工作委员会案件：至少有两起不公平封禁索赔案正在公平工作委员会审理中，其中包括一名完成了22,000次成功送货的司机，他在一项有争议的客户投诉后被封禁，这严重影响了他的心理健康。
- 零工经济权利：新的国家法律赋予零工工人更多权利，包括免受数字劳动平台不公平封禁的保护，工会正倡导建立更透明的系统。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-11/nsw-amazon-flex-workers-deliveries-drivers-sydney/105964946