Providence Amazon Drivers Form First State Union with Teamsters

The DRI1 facility serves as Amazon’s largest last-mile hub in the state, positioning these drivers at the forefront of a growing labor movement against the e-retail giant. The organizing effort follows the recent passage of the Rhode Island Warehouse Worker Protection Act, a legislative victory backed by local Teamsters aimed at increasing corporate accountability.

Randy Korgan, Director of the Teamsters Amazon Division, framed the action as a direct challenge to the company's labor practices. The workers are demanding improved wages, comprehensive health care, and safer working conditions. For driver Fred German, the decision to unionize is a response to long-standing frustrations regarding pay and the company’s refusal to acknowledge its direct responsibility for the workforce. These drivers now join a national coalition of over 10,000 Amazon employees across 12 facilities who have aligned with the Teamsters to demand structural changes in their employment terms.