Over 150 unionized delivery drivers lost their jobs at Amazon’s Queens facility last month, but here’s the twist: Amazon claims they never employed these workers in the first place. The drivers worked for Cornucopia, a Delivery Service Partner contracted by Amazon—part of a vast network designed to distance the tech giant from direct employment responsibilities.
The uniform tells a different story
Workers wear Amazon gear but Amazon says they’re not Amazon employees.
These fired drivers wore Amazon uniforms, drove Amazon-branded vehicles, and followed Amazon’s delivery software and procedures down to the minute. Yet when the Teamsters organized them into a union, Amazon’s response was essentially “not our problem.”
The company terminated its contract with Cornucopia, effectively eliminating all 150+ unionized positions while maintaining this wasn’t retaliation—just routine business optimization to allow DSPs to be “more hands-on with their teams.”
Legal precedent exists, but enforcement doesn’t
The NLRB already ruled Amazon jointly employs DSP workers, but appeals have stalled action.
“Amazon’s crime spree has gone on long enough,” says Randy Korgan, Teamsters Amazon Division Director. “The Teamsters are fully prepared to put these crooks in their place if they don’t reinstate our brothers and sisters at DBK4.”
The National Labor Relations Board ruled in 2024 that Amazon was indeed a joint employer of DSP drivers in a separate California case, but Amazon appealed. Meanwhile, the NLRB lacks a quorum to rule on major disputes, leaving these workers in legal limbo.
Every gig worker should pay attention
This contractor model shapes how millions of delivery and ride-share workers get classified.
Amazon’s DSP structure isn’t unique—Uber, DoorDash, and countless other platforms use similar contractor relationships to avoid traditional employer obligations like collective bargaining rights, benefits, and job security. When you order that same-day delivery, the person bringing it to your door exists in this gray zone where they’re controlled like employees but classified like independent businesses.
The outcome of this dispute will ripple far beyond Queens, potentially redefining how tech platforms can structure their workforce relationships while claiming clean hands when things get messy.
