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As of: 07/16/2021 7:06 am
Customs has been checking the working conditions of parcel deliverers across Germany since the early hours of the morning. The focus is on BR information the online retailer Amazon, which has parcels delivered via subcontractors.
By Sammy Khamis and Manuel Mehlhorn,
BR
Several thousand officials of the “Financial Control of Undeclared Work” (FKS) at customs have been checking the working conditions of parcel deliverers across Germany since the morning. To BR information The controls only affect the industry giant Amazon and the subcontractors working for Amazon. An average of 2000 civil servants were on duty in previous specialty examinations. All 41 main customs offices throughout Germany are involved in today’s control.
The General Customs Directorate does not comment on individual companies. She generally speaks of a focus test in the forwarding, transport and logistics industry by the FKS.
Customs are targeting subcontractors
“The parcel industry often works with subcontractors. Here, the FKS was able to find more violations of the obligation to pay the minimum wage,” said a spokeswoman for the General Customs Directorate Bavarian Broadcasting. Since July 1, 2021, the minimum wage has been EUR 9.60 per hour. One focus of today’s controls is compliance with the current minimum wage. In addition, violations of social security obligations are checked. “In particular, the obligation to correctly pay social security contributions by subcontractors,” said the spokeswoman for the General Customs Directorate.
“Bogus self-employment” is also widespread in the industry. As a result, social security contributions would not have to be paid and the minimum wage could be circumvented, the spokeswoman said.
Unions complain about working hours
Unions have long criticized the working conditions of parcel deliverers. Subcontractors from Amazon were particularly noticeable, according to David Merck, head of logistics at the ver.di union in Bavaria. According to Merck, the problem is not the monthly wages that drivers earn. “The problem is the working hours. Drivers often work up to the statutory maximum working hours of 60 hours a week – and more,” says Merck.
Amazon does not comment on the number of package suppliers
It is unclear how many people in Germany deliver parcels for Amazon. Amazon did not comment on this. However, a spokesman emphasized on BR request:
We work with a large number of delivery partners to bring parcels to customers. These companies are required to adhere to applicable laws and the Amazon Delivery Partner Code of Conduct, which focuses on fair wages, social benefits, reasonable working hours and remuneration.
Ver.di calls for the end of contracts for work and services
The service union Verdi demands from Amazon to do without subcontractors and to employ the drivers directly. “We are calling for an end to work contracts in the logistics industry, parallel to the legislation in the meat industry that prohibits subcontracting,” says Merck.
Today’s main control of the “financial control of undeclared work” follows similar nationwide examinations that took place in the construction industry and with building cleaners in the past few months.