Amazon is putting billions of dollars toward the drivers that deliver its packages following union organizing activity among such workers, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The company says it is investing about $2 billion into its delivery services program this year, and that the money will result in average national pay for drivers delivering Amazon parcels to reach nearly $22 per hour, a 7% increase from last year.
Amazon has been delivering most of its own packages since 2018. The average pay for drivers was $20.50 last year.
These drivers are hired by what Amazon calls Delivery Service Partners, or small local businesses that hire drivers and decide their salaries. Amazon says it can dictate the minimum pay for drivers and that the minimum pay for its drivers across the country would range from $19.50 to $25.25 an hour this year.