'My Why' | Amazon's driver contest raises questions amid worker classification dispute

Amazon’s latest attempt to engage its vast non-contract delivery workforce seems to have hit a few wrong notes head of an ongoing legal dispute around the rights of its ‘last mile’ delivery drivers.

The company is offering $1,000 prizes for delivery drivers who share stories about why they enjoy their roles, positioning the initiative as a way to celebrate the people behind its logistics machine.

But the mechanics of the contest, and the broader context in which it sits, point to a deeper tension between engagement strategies and employment structures.

Worker voice and consent in focus

Subcontracted drivers were invited to “tell us what drives you” as part of a “My Why” competition, with prompts encouraging them to reflect on “your journey to becoming a delivery driver, what you love about delivering smiles to customers, or how this role supports your bigger life goals.” The company also suggested describing “what makes you proud to wear the uniform each day.”