Ex-UPS driver says Amazon's pee-in-water-bottles problem isn't unique
'That is nothing new to UPS,' the former driver said of urinating in water bottles
A former UPS driver who spoke to FOX Business said Amazon employees aren't the only ones peeing in water bottles while on the job.
The issue of delivery drivers urinating in water bottles came to light after Amazon suggested in a tweet to Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., that the multiple reports published in recent years -- alleging poor working conditions at Amazon and that employees complained of peeing in water bottles or not having enough time to use the restroom -- were false.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMZN | AMAZON.COM INC. | 173.67 | -2.92 | -1.65% |
| UPS | UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC. | 147.39 | +0.77 | +0.53% |
"You don’t really believe the peeing in bottles thing, do you?" Amazon tweeted Thursday. "If that were true, nobody would work for us. The truth is that we have over a million incredible employees around the world who are proud of what they do, and have great wages and health care from day one."
Internal documents obtained by digital investigative news outlet The Intercept show that at least some Amazon management teams were aware of the fact that employees -- and in particular, delivery drivers -- were urinating in water bottles and defecating in bags as a result of not having enough time to use a restroom.
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Now, drivers for other companies like UPS -- a unionized company -- are speaking out.
"I saw this story break about the Amazon workers, and that is nothing new to UPS," the former UPS driver told FOX Business on the condition of anonymity, citing fears of "retaliation" from her former employer. "It is a well-known practice that takes place on a daily basis."
A UPS driver steps off his truck to deliver packages in Evanston, Illinois. (REUTERS/Jim Young)
She said she has personally urinated in water bottles due to a lack of time to use a bathroom and to stay on schedule, especially on rural routes where bathrooms may be more difficult to come by.
"There will be times when drivers get in the trucks, and there's still urine in bottles left in the trucks from the day before," she said, adding that "supervisors are fully aware that this practice goes on."
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The former driver said she never complained about the issue but has seen supervisors ask drivers directly if they left used water bottles in trucks because drivers are "supposed to remove them from the trucks."
UPS did not immediately respond to an inquiry from FOX Business.
A number of other UPS and FedEx workers spoke up about peeing in water bottles on social media after reports on the issue at Amazon dating back to 2018 resurfaced following Amazon's denial of the problem.
Progressive politicians including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., as well as conservative politicians including U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., have increased pressure on Amazon to improve and be more transparent about worker conditions at its facilities.
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Their pressure comes as workers in Bessemer, Alabama, held a union vote Monday that Amazon unsuccessfully attempted to delay. Organizers are hoping to mobilize workers to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union in an effort to improve worker conditions and pay despite the company's objections, such as a demand for in-person voting.
Workers began tallying votes Tuesday, but results have been delayed.
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Fox Business' Sam Dorman contributed to this report.
