New Jersey sues Amazon over driver pay and working conditions

New Jersey filed a first-of-its-kind antitrust lawsuit against Amazon on Tuesday, accusing the e-commerce giant of abusing its market power to suppress driver wages, impose grueling working conditions, and stifle union activity. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges Amazon acts as a monopsony—a dominant buyer that dictates terms—through its Delivery Service Partners program. State officials claim drivers earn significantly less than UPS, FedEx, and USPS workers, face invasive surveillance, and have been forced to urinate in bottles due to demanding delivery requirements. Amazon denied the allegations, calling the complaint unfounded and noting that DSPs are independent businesses. The company also faces other pending New Jersey lawsuits over pricing, worker misclassification, and civil rights violations, and previously settled with the FTC for $2.5 billion over Prime subscription practices.