Injury rates of Amazon’s delivery contractors climbed 40 percent last year, new report claims

Drivers for Amazon’s rapidly growing third-party delivery partner network are being hurt on the job with shocking frequency according to data compiled in a new report by the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC) — and the rate of injuries increased dramatically between 2020 and 2021.

Among the Delivery Service Partner (DSP) drivers it found OSHA data for, SOC claims there was “nearly one injury per five full-time-equivalent workers” in 2021 — an incident rate of 18.3. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’s most recent incident rate average among “couriers and express delivery services” stands at just 7.5 per 100. According to SOC, the 2021 injury numbers represent an approximately 40 percent increase from the previous year.

There are some important limitations to the findings SOC — which itself is a collaboration between Service Employees International Union, Teamsters, Communications Workers of America and United Farmworkers of America — published however. Because DSPs are subcontracted, their injury data is submitted individually to OSHA; SOC was able to obtain incident logs for 201 such delivery companies that work with Amazon, but estimates that pool represents just ten percent of the total DSP workforce. Still, given the wealth of reporting on injury rates among Amazon’s warehouse staff, the report indicates that trend may be broadly applicable to the company’s workforce.

Working for a DSP, according to a lawsuit filed by one such company earlier this year, involves assenting to “near complete control” by Amazon without the ecommerce giant providing the “required safeguards.” DSP drivers are also regularly monitored by Amazon through the company’s Mentor app and surveillance cameras installed in their vehicles. According to one driver in Indianapolis that SOC spoke to in March, Amazon uses a system of scores that rank drivers against their own co-workers in terms of delivery speed and completion rate; the driver said she knew of 15 drivers who were terminated for not meeting Amazon’s performance demands. The aforementioned lawsuit notes that “exceedingly aggressive time limits that could rarely be safely met” are a mainstay.

“This report cherry-picks data from less than 10% of our delivery partners to tell an inaccurate and misleading story,” Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, told Engadget. “Safety is a priority across our network, which is why we’ve rolled out technology like innovative camera systems that have helped lead to an overall reduction in accident rates of nearly 50%, and we’ll keep investing in new safety tools to try and get better every day.” It’s not clear if DSPs are obligated to share their injury data with Amazon as well as OSHA; Engadget has reached out for clarification.

The DSP program — which Amazon first launched in 2018 to reduce its reliance on USPS, UPS and Fedex — has grown rapidly since then to a network of over 2,000 companies. As Bloombergnoted, many DSP operators are veterans, retirees, first-time business owners and other neophytes to the logistics business. The same productivity demands placed on drivers are similarly leveraged against DSP owners who have reported razor-thin margins, and a feeling of being trapped in the program by “exit fees” if they choose to leave.

Harley-Davidson made an electric mountain bike without front or rear suspension

Harley-Davidson’s Serial 1 brand unveiled its latest ebike model on Tuesday, and it’s something of a head-scratcher. The company describes the Bash/Mtn as a mountain bike, but unless you have the technical skills to go under-biking, you probably don’t want to take its newest ebike on anything but the most forgiving single-track.

That’s because the Bash/Mtn features a fully rigid aluminum frame and fork, with no front or rear suspension. It also doesn’t come with a dropper post, and as far as I can tell, there’s no elegant way of adding one on your own. The only shock absorption this bike comes with is its SR Suntour NCX seat post, which offers up to 50mm of travel.

Harley-Davidson claims those missing features are actually the reason to buy the Bash/Mtn. “No fussy suspension to tune, no finicky drivetrain to adjust — just two wheels, one gear, and one purpose, to provide the most direct connection between you and the trail,” the company said.

Once you get past the unorthodox design, the Bash/Mtn looks like a decent e-bike. It features a removable 529Wh battery the company says will provide between 30 and 95 miles of range, depending on the terrain and drive mode you use. It takes just under five hours to charge the battery to full, though you can get it up to 75 percent after about two-and-a-half hours. As a Class 1 e-bike, the Bash/Mtn will stop providing you with assistance once you’ve reached a speed of 20 miles per hour. Completing the package are TRP hydraulic disc brakes and 27.5-inch tubeless-ready tires from Michelin.

At $3,999, the Bash/Mtn is on the more affordable side of what you can expect to pay for an electric mountain bike from companies like Canyon, Giant and Trek, but then those models are entirely different bikes. Harley-Davidson plans to produce only 1,050 units of the Bash/Mtn, with 525 units slated for sale in the US.

Activision Blizzard employees form a committee to fight workplace discrimination

A dozen current and former Activision Blizzard employees have formed a committee aimed at protecting workers from discriminatory practices at the studio, outlining a list of demands for CEO Bobby Kotick, newly appointed diversity officer Kristen Hines and chief human resources officer Julie Hodges. 

As detailed by The Washington Post, the group’s demands include ending mandatory arbitration in discrimination cases, improving on-site lactation rooms, protecting workers from retaliation, increasing support for trans employees and instituting independent investigations in cases of discrimination, including sexual harassment. The employee group, called the Worker Committee Against Sex and Gender Discrimination, submitted their demands to the studio’s leadership team today.

The committee specifically demands private lactation rooms and appropriate storage spaces for breastmilk and pumping equipment. Breastfeeding workers at Activision Blizzard have documented their issues with the studio’s lactation rooms, describing them as filthy, uncomfortable and poorly secured. Employees said fridges for breast milk were also used to store beer, that people pumping often had to sit on the floor and that breast milk was sometimes stolen. In regards to trans rights, the group demands the creation of a trans network similar to the in-house women’s resource network and for software tools to be wiped of employees’ deadnames.

In response to the formal call for change, an Activision Blizzard spokesperson provided Engadget the following statement: “We appreciate that these employees want to join with us to further build a better Activision Blizzard and continue the progress we have already made. We have, for example, already upgraded our lactation facilities, waived arbitration, hired new DEI and EEO leaders, and collaborated with employees to make our policies and processes more trans inclusive, just to name a few issues the letter raises. We thank these employees, and will continue to work with all of our employees on our journey to be a better company.”

In October 2021, Activision Blizzard changed its policies and waived mandatory arbitration for individual sexual harassment and discrimination claims. The company intends to extend this policy to class actions regarding sexual assault or harassment, in order to comply with a US law enacted in early March 2022 banning these types of arbitration agreements.

The changes at Activision Blizzard follow a year of legal troubles, intense regulatory scrutiny and employee walkouts at the studio. Activision Blizzard executives have been accused of cultivating a sexist, discriminatory workplace in multiple lawsuits over the past year. California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing first sued Activision Blizzard in July 2021 after conducting a two-year investigation into allegations of unchecked sexual harassment, gender-based discrimination and a pervasive “frat boy culture” at the studio. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal group, followed up with a similar lawsuit against Activision Blizzard in September 2021. Activision Blizzard settled the federal EEOC lawsuit this March, agreeing to establish an $18 million fund to compensate employees who experienced discrimination at the studio.

Backed by the Communications Workers of America, Activision Blizzard employees have been advocating for change and unionization — to some degree of success — since the lawsuits were filed. CWA called the $18 million settlement “woefully inadequate,” arguing it would provide the maximum compensation to just 60 workers, when there were likely hundreds of claimants. 

Former Activision Blizzard employee and campaign organizer for the tech-industry group CODE-CWA, Jessica Gonzalez, appealed the $18 million settlement this week, seeking an increase in compensation. Gonzalez is one of the 12 employees in the Worker Committee Against Sex and Gender Discrimination. 

An additional lawsuit accusing Activision Blizzard of sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation was filed this week by a current employee. And there’s the wide-ranging investigation into the studio’s workplace practices currently underway at the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Update 5/25 11:55AM ET: Added comment from Activision Blizzard.

Apple’s latest Pride Edition Watch bands include a nod to the company’s history

With the start of June a week away, Apple has announced two new Pride-themed Watch bands. The first one is a take on the company’s classic sport loop style. The design features a color gradient that incorporates the iconic rainbow colors seen on a vari…

Stellantis and Samsung SDI to build $2.5 billion EV battery plant in Indiana

Automaker Stellantis and Samsung SDI are teaming up to build a $2.5 billion EV battery plant in Indiana, reported CNBC. It’ll be the first US-based battery plant for Stellantis, which has an umbrella of 16 brands that include Jeep, Maserati, Dodge, Fia…

Windows 11 will get third-party widgets later this year

Windows 11 widgets could become more useful in the coming months. Microsoft revealed at its Build developer conference that the operating system will start supporting widgets for third-party apps later this year. Developers will be able to create widgets for their Win32 apps and progressive web apps using Microsoft’s Adaptive Cards platform.

“We’re energized by the customer feedback on widgets to date. People are enjoying the quick access to content most important to them in a way that is seamless without breaking their flow,” Panos Panay, Microsoft’s chief product officer for Windows and devices, said.

Microsoft brought back widgets, which previously appeared in Windows 7, when it released Windows 11 last year. However, it tucked the widgets behind a dedicated button. In any case, we felt they weren’t all that useful.

Opening up widgets to third-party developers so they can provide some at-a-glance information Microsoft doesn’t offer through its own apps could be handy. You might, for instance, eventually see your Twitter timeline or WhatsApp messages in a widget.

The company shut down widgets (aka gadgets) in Windows 7 in part because they could be exploited. Microsoft hasn’t revealed too many details about how third-party widgets will work in Windows 11 just yet, so here’s hoping there’s some quality control to fend off bad actors.

Universal Audio brings its excellent vintage amp emulations to your pedalboard

Last year Universal Audio decided to make the leap from plugins the pedal with the UAFX line. Then it got into the mainstream audio interface game, launched a series of high-end modeling microphones, and even a subscription plug-in service. But, UA isn’t doesn’t appear ready to slow down yet. Now the company is expanding its line of stomp boxes with a trio of amp modelers. 

The Dream ’65 Reverb, Ruby ’63 Top Boost and Woodrow ’55 Instrument Amplifier bring UA’s excellent emulations of vintage amplifiers to a board-friendly format, using the same hardware it did for last year’s Astra, Golden and Starlight pedals. The UAFX Guitar Amp Emulators all have a host of modern amenities and options, but they are, at their heart, recreations of iconic amps that have been staples of studios around the world for over five decades. The Dream is based on a Fender Deluxe Reverb, Woodrow is a Fender Tweed Deluxe and Ruby a take on the Vox AC30. 

Each pedal has a handful of speaker, cabinet and mic options to further shape your tone, as well as reverb and vibrato on the Dream and Ruby, respectively. The pedals also have additional customization options available the UAFX Control mobile app, plus the ability to save presets. 

Of course, UA doesn’t cheap out on the hardware front either. These are solid pedals built to withstand abuse, with stereo ins and outs, plus USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity. 

All three of the UAFX Guitar Amp Emulators are available now for $399. Which, certainly isn’t impulse purchase territory, but considering a real-deal Fender Tweed Deluxe can fetch around $5,000, this seems like an absolute bargain. 

Waze finally adds Apple Music integration

Five years after Waze first added Spotify integration, Google’s navigation app finally supports Apple Music. Starting today, you can use Waze’s built-in audio controls to play, pause and switch between songs in your iPhone’s Apple Music library. That means you don’t need to switch between apps when trying to drive to a destination you haven’t been to before.

Before today’s announcement, Apple Music was effectively the last major music streaming app that didn’t include integration with Waze. Over the years, Google has added support for a long list of smaller services, including Pandora, Deezer and iHeart Radio. Before today’s announcement, it was even possible to listen to audiobooks and podcasts through integrations with Audible and Stitcher. All of that is in the past now. And if you’re an Apple Music subscriber with a fondness for Waze, you’re probably just happy that you can use the two apps together.

‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II’ will arrive on October 28th

Call of Duty fans might want to start looking into taking some time off around Halloween. The next entry in the franchise, Modern Warfare II, will be released on October 28th. It’s the sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare, which was a reboot of the blockbuster series.

Activision Blizzard released a teaser video that doesn’t show any gameplay. Instead, it reveals artwork for some of the characters who’ll be featured: John “Soap” MacTavish, Simon “Ghost” Riley, Captain John Price, Kyle “Gaz” Garrick and Alejandro Vargas.

A gameplay reveal (if you really need one to know what a modern Call of Duty game looks like) may not be too far away, though. The teaser includes a quick flash of text reading “J-8-22.” That may be hinting toward a broader reveal on June 8th, just ahead of major gaming showcases from Summer Game Fest and Xbox and Bethesda.

It’s Infinity Ward’s turn to release a Call of Duty title and the studio has its hands full, since it’s also responsible for Warzone. A “massive evolution” of the battle royale will take place later this year in line with the release of Modern Warfare II. Both games will have a new engine, for one thing.

Modern Warfare II is arguably the most important Call of Duty title for Activision Blizzard in many years. The series is the company’s crown jewel. While the most recent release, Call of Duty: Vanguard, was the biggest selling game of 2021 by some estimations, it saw “lower premium sales” at launch than the previous year’s entry, Black Ops Cold War.

In the first three months of 2022, the Activision side of the business (which Call of Duty falls under) saw a big drop in engagement year-over-year from 150 million monthly active players to 100 million in the wake of the company’s misconduct scandals. With the Microsoft takeover pending and reports that there may not be a new Call of Duty game in 2023, Activision Blizzard will be hoping that Modern Warfare II performs strongly.

Microsoft’s Project Volterra is a mini PC for ARM developers

At its annual developer conference, Microsoft doesn’t typically announce new hardware. But at Build 2022 the company made time to unveil Project Volterra, a PC Microsoft designed to assist developers with building native ARM apps that employ AI-acceler…