Leaked memo shows Amazon knows its delivery drivers have to resort to urinating in bottles

Amazon faced tough questions about working practices on Friday after a wave of damning claims contradicted its denial about drivers being forced to urinate in bottles.

It comes after a leaked memo revealed that bosses at the tech giant were made aware of the practice last year, and castigated couriers who did not have access to facilities.

Amazon moved to shut down reports of squeezing workers’ rights, and its retail chief, Dave Clark described the firm as the “Bernie Sanders of employers” – a nod to the US senator who is an advocate of socially progressive policies.

But Mark Pocan, a Democrat who represents Wisconsin, took Mr Clark to task and replied: “Paying workers $15/hr doesn’t make you a “progressive workplace” when you union-bust and make workers urinate in water bottles.”

Amazon waded into the row and denied the allegations: “You don’t really believe the peeing in bottles thing, do you? If that were true, nobody would work for us.”

Predictably, the remarks caused a flood of testimonials that appeared to turn the company’s denial on its head.

The code of conduct for delivery drivers says they “are responsible for cleaning out your van at the end of your shift. This includes garbage bags and urine bottles”, according to a document shared with BuzzFeed News.

On Thursday, it was revealed that desperate drivers had resorted to defecating in bags during busy shifts. It emerged that Amazon was aware of this and had reprimanded employees for leaving their waste behind in their vehicles, reported The Intercept.

In an email to staff at the the height of the pandemic in May 2020, an Amazon logistics manager in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, reportedly wrote: “These behaviours are unacceptable. I know [it] may seem obvious, or like something you shouldn’t need to coach, but please be explicit when communicating the message that they CANNOT poop, or leave bottles of urine inside bags.”

The company has faced heavy criticism in recent years for its working conditions and the latest row comes as workers in Alabama move a step closet to unionisation – a move which has generated national headlines.

Senator Sanders is expected to attend a union event on Friday.

Amazon has been contacted for comment.