Amazon tackled by MPs over treatment of delivery drivers

Ministers have written to the etail titan’s UK boss, Doug Gurr, following reports that a punitive regime by SEP Logistics left drivers earning less than the minimum wage.

As first reported by The Telegraph, Amazon demanded that SEP change its policies after it was revealed the company imposed a catalogue of fines on couriers for late deliveries.

Drivers were also responsible for paying their own van rental, petrol and vehicle insurance.

Many couriers received back pay amounting to more than £1,000 after Amazon urged SEP to take action.

But that hasn’t stopped MPs stepping in to address the issue amid ongoing fears around businesses’ treatment of workers in the so-called gig economy.

Chairman of the Work and Pensions Committee Frank Field MP and chairman of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee Rachel Reeves MP have written to Gurr to ask “what actions you are taking to ensure that those couriers contracted to deliver on behalf of your company are working safely and receiving fair pay?”.

They added: “The recent coverage indicated that courier routes and loads are determined by ‘sophisticated software’ provided by Amazon.

“So we would be grateful if you could inform our Committees what monitoring is undertaken via this app and what information you hold on the proportion of drivers working more than 11 hours per day or not taking mandated rest breaks.”