Pune: Amazon Customers Wait For Parcels As Strike By Delivery Boys Continue On Third Day

Shail Shukla

Pune, 19th March 2021: Delivery workers in Pune have not returned to work for the third day today and are protesting against the reduced parcel prices in front of various delivery stores. Workers have alleged that the company has reduced the parcel prices and has not given proper justification. Workers started the protest on 17 March and have put forth their various demands before the company. The protest has led to the piling of the parcels in Amazon godowns.

A delivery person said, “Before lockdown, we were getting 35 rupees for each parcel. Post lockdown, the company suddenly reduced it to 10 rupees. We cannot afford it as diesel and petrol prices have increased. Moreover, the company gives us tasks such as completing KYC, which do not even fall under our assigned work.”

He further adds, “The company has not given us proper justification regarding this. The company stated that the order has come from the head and is being implemented all over India”.

Another person said, “The workers waited for an entire day. However, we did not get any response. Thus, we went to MNS leader Kishore Shinde. He is helping us with our problems.”

“Many of us have been working with Amazon for 5 – 6 years. We have worked so hard for the company and raised its status in the city, and the company is threatening us that if we do not go back to work, it will fire us. We are being harassed, and we all are agitated by the company’s behaviour”, said the delivery person.

Amazon is the world’s leading online delivery company. There are about 1,000 to 1,500 delivery persons working for Amazon in the city. Each works for about 8 to 10 hours and delivers around 80 to 100 parcels during the day. The delivery persons start work from 7 am. If the delivery of any parcel is remaining, then they work overtime.

The stock of goods at the company’s office is growing due to the strike. Millions of homes in the city are awaiting these items. The delivery persons informed that they are getting ultimatums from the company to call off the strike and report to work. However, the delivery persons said that they would not call off the strike despite a lot of pressure from the company. The delivery persons have made it very clear to the company.

When contacted, Amazon spokesperson said:

On delivery delays : “The delivery of some customer orders have been delayed in some parts of Pune. Customers have been informed and we will attempt to deliver these packages at the earliest.” 

On delivery partner strike in Pune: “Our network of partners play an integral role in enabling us to serve our customers and we are deeply committed to empowering them. We have created entrepreneurial and earning opportunities for more than 280 Delivery Service Partners and their thousands of associates, and more than 28,000 micro-entrepreneurs with the I Have Space program. We place enormous value in having regular conversations with our partners, listening to their feedback and addressing them effectively to improve the experience for their employees and our partner network.”