In December of 2022, just before Christmas, two amazon flex drivers were robbed for their packages, while out delivering. Just a few days ago in January of 2023, a girl was completely robbed of her belongings and her car in Flint, MI just before she was about to finish her delivery block. Flex drivers in Michigan and so many other independent contractor delivery drivers are risking their lives, well being, and assets just trying to make enough money to feed themselves and their families! This is unacceptable! Many people are economically forced to work these jobs because making little is better than not making anything and Amazon.com is one of those companies that is exploiting and taking advantage of that.

Before all of this occurred, a lot of us flex drivers found out that states that have the same cost of living as Michigan, like Iowa, get paid between 200 to 250 dollars for a 4 hour delivery block. Whereas, the people of Michigan get paid between 77 and 88 dollars for a 4 hour delivery block. And I also believe that there is a whole lot more risk in driving in Detroit and Flint, rather than some random city in Iowa.

This needs to change. The people of Michigan who are working for Amazon Flex and other businesses as a contractor, are being taken advantage of. Yes, they don't "have to work for Amazon" but a lot of these people don't have a choice, because they don't have anything to eat or anything to feed their families. Most of them don't have the time to secure full or part time employment due to raising their kids or they don't have an employer in their area that is willing to hire them or have the money to secure employment until their first paycheck, whatever the reason, delivering is their only solution and Amazon is taking advantage of that in the worst way.

Approximately fifty dollars of that 77 or 88 dollars of money goes towards gas. So that leaves 27 dollars, if you are lucky enough to even one block, left to feed your family. THAT IS BELOW MINIMUM WAGE, ESPECIALLY IN AN INFLATED ECONOMY! Amazon is taking advantage AND exploiting our hardship and poverty stricken areas in Michigan, to pay off the drivers in other states that don't need to drive for Amazon Flex. 

It's time that we put a stop to this exploitation. We demand that our state and local governments, take action, and make laws to govern these businesses and make them increase the wage to something fair and decent. 

We have all written Jeff@amazon.com. They do not care about us. I told them about the incidents of drivers being robbed and they showed absolutely zero empathy. They didn't even address it in their reply email back to us. All they gave us was a generic response about how they calculate how much they pay flex drivers. As contractors, we deserve to cumulatively be paid enough to cover our fuel, vehicle maintenance, oue insurance deductible when events such as being hit by drivers on the road or robbery occur (currently you can use Amazon's coverage BUT it's a 1000 dollar deductible if you need to use it), parking, tolls, and enough to pay our bills. We are not asking to be paid 200 to 250 dollars per 4 hour delivery block, however we are asking for 160 to 180 for a 4 hour delivery block. And blocks come in many different sizes and distances. From a 2 hour block to a 5 hour block. A 3 hour block could drive you out over 50 miles for two packages and then another 40 miles back to deliver 20 to 30 other packages within a city or cities and you only get paid 66 or 77 dollars for it! This is NOT a rare occurrence! 

THIS NEEDS TO STOP. PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO MAKE OUR GOVERNMENT TAKE ACTION AND MAKE AMAZON PAY MICHIGAN FLEX DRIVERS AND OTHER DELIVERY CONTRACT DRIVERS A DECENT WAGE! STOP MONETIZING ON OUR POVERTY STRICKEN CITIZENS AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF US! 

If you are an Amazon Flex driver living in Southeast Michigan, join our Facebook group to stay up to date and receive community support from your fellow drivers! Stay safe!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/2550223538361092/?ref=share