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Amazon struck with United States labor board problem over 'joint work' of drivers

Amazon.com has actually been implicated by a U.S. labor board of illegally declining to deal with a union representing motorists employed by a contractor, the agency revealed on Wednesday.

The grievance from the National Labor Relations Board claims that Amazon is a so-called joint company of chauffeurs employed by the contractor, Battle Tested Techniques (BTS), and used a. series of illegal methods to dissuade union activities at a. center in Palmdale, California.

BTS motorists voted to join the International Brotherhood of. Teamsters union last year, becoming the first Amazon delivery. professionals to unionize.

The NLRB in the problem, which was provided on Monday, said. Amazon broke the law by terminating its agreement with BTS after. the chauffeurs unionized without very first bargaining with the. Teamsters.

The board in August had stated that it had actually found merit to the. union's claims that Amazon puts in control over BTS chauffeurs and. ought to be considered their company under federal labor law. The. NLRB at the time said it would provide a problem unless Amazon. settled the case.

Last month, the board said it planned to provide a 2nd. grievance involving a different group of Amazon motorists.

Amazon did not right away react to a request for remark. The company has said in the past that it does not have enough. control over chauffeurs' working conditions to be considered their. joint employer.

Joint work has been one of the most contentious U.S. labor problems over the last years, and the NLRB's requirement for. identifying when companies certify as joint employers has. moved numerous times considering that the Obama administration. Service. groups favor a test that needs direct and instant control. over employees, while unions and Democrats back a standard that. covers indirect kinds of control.

The case will be heard by an administrative judge in Los. Angeles, who is arranged to hold a preliminary hearing next March. The judge's decision can be examined by the five-member NLRB,. whose judgments can be interested federal court.

A judgment that Amazon is a joint employer under federal labor. law might be applied in cases involving other Amazon professionals. and require the company to deal with drivers' unions.

The board, on the other hand, is facing claims by a growing number. of business, consisting of Amazon, that its structure and in-house. enforcement proceedings violate the U.S. Constitution.

Amazon has actually filed a suit against the board seeking to. block it from choosing whether the business needs to negotiate with a. union representing workers at a New york city City warehouse. A. federal appeals court on Monday momentarily blocked the NLRB. from ruling while it examines Amazon's claims.

(source: Reuters)