OUT FOR DELIVERY
Finally, the package arrives at the Amazon sortation center closest to its final destination. From there, a delivery driver picks up shipments to drop off at customers’ individual addresses. Usually, these drivers work for companies like the United Parcel Service (UPS) or local shipping services employed by Amazon. And so, a few days after you’ve made your order, a package arrives at your doorstep, as if by magic.
In reality, though, Amazon’s fast shipping isn’t magic. Behind the scenes, more than 200,000 people are packaging and shipping products in warehouses, plus more than 70,000 drivers are working to get orders to your door. And the number of orders has continued to increase, particularly during the pandemic, putting more strain on workers. That’s led some Amazon employees to ask for higher pay and better working conditions. And as things like one-day and same-day shipping become more widespread, workers are worried that conditions will only get more stressful.
“All of these people are working tirelessly at a tremendous speed,” says Naim. “They deserve appreciation, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, when they helped us stay safe so that we didn’t have to go into stores."