Three drivers for DHL have filed a class action lawsuit in Sacramento Superior Court against the company, challenging the illegal classification of many of its drivers as independent contractors, which has allowed the company to avoid paying overtime wages and to require workers to bankroll the cost of their delivery vehicles, including running costs, and many other expenses.
The Sacramento drivers are among hundreds of DHL workers nationwide who have chosen Teamster union representation in the past several months.
Under California law, employers are required to pay all necessary employee expenses. They are also required to pay non-exempt employees a rate of time-and-a-half for work exceeding eight hours a day and forty hours a week.
“DHL ads say their drivers are 'lean and hungry,' and it's quite literally true,” said Pilar Barton, organizing director for Teamsters Local 150. “DHL drivers average between $7 and $9 per hour with no medical benefits, no retirement and no paid sick leave, vacation or holidays. DHL's business plan to compete with UPS is poverty wages, high turnover, and vicious Union-busting.”
The lawsuit demands payment of back wages and employee expenses going back four years. It is filed as a class action on behalf of all current and former DHL drivers throughout California who were improperly classified as independent contractors.
DHL does not hire its drivers directly, but uses contractor companies to retain them. The lawsuit also names one such contractor, DNM Delivery Solutions, and its owner, Dewey McDaniel.
The Sacramento drivers are among hundreds of DHL workers nationwide who have chosen Teamster union representation in the past several months.
Under California law, employers are required to pay all necessary employee expenses. They are also required to pay non-exempt employees a rate of time-and-a-half for work exceeding eight hours a day and forty hours a week.
“DHL ads say their drivers are 'lean and hungry,' and it's quite literally true,” said Pilar Barton, organizing director for Teamsters Local 150. “DHL drivers average between $7 and $9 per hour with no medical benefits, no retirement and no paid sick leave, vacation or holidays. DHL's business plan to compete with UPS is poverty wages, high turnover, and vicious Union-busting.”
The lawsuit demands payment of back wages and employee expenses going back four years. It is filed as a class action on behalf of all current and former DHL drivers throughout California who were improperly classified as independent contractors.
DHL does not hire its drivers directly, but uses contractor companies to retain them. The lawsuit also names one such contractor, DNM Delivery Solutions, and its owner, Dewey McDaniel.
1 comment:
Sounds as if this just came to a halt? As a former DHL driver I would have liked to see this move forward.
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