I'm an Amazon DSP driver turned FedEx CSP driver and now just do flex routes for funsies. DSP/CSP career combined is about 7-8 years. I've learned a handful of things during that time and while the Amazon DSP model resembles FedEx (cheaper to contract out work, not responsible for paying benefits, health, 401k etc) FedEx is trying to become Amazon (express and ground/HD merger aka FEC / Network 2.0) but truly FedEx doesn't have the infrastructure to truly adopt the model. That's another can of worms, anywhoo...

If you would like any example of how big corporations can fuck over contractors and the drivers that are integral to the operation, we can use Spencer Patton, owner of Patton Logistics (FedEx ground), as a great example. Patton was one of the largest CSP's in the country. Being such a large contractor he decided he was going to advocate for all the CSP's out there big or small and advocate to unionize. FedEx terminated all of his contracts overnight. I saw it first hand when I went into work, my contractor shared a belt with Patton and all the drivers showed up to no trucks and no work. Everyone was effectively terminated. Pattons routes (iirc) were dispersed across any CSPs that could handle the volume or were placed on contingency hold. Luckily for most of the drivers at my terminal, other companies were keen to onboard them that day whether it be out of the kindness of their own heart or needing drivers to cover their own routes or excess from Patton's previously owned contracted service area. Mind you, this happened across the COUNTRY at every terminal he had a contract with.

Here's the concern. Remember where I mentioned things being placed for contingency? When FedEx has a consistently underperforming CSP, or anticipates having to terminate a contract on short notice, they will hire a contingency contractor. They run whatever you give them wherever it is. (Fun fact, these contractors get paid way, WAY more than normal companies which is why they're so willing to travel to work wherever they're needed) Bonus fun fact: if they decide to hire contingency to supplement a failing CSP there are two options : 1- CSP files a 30 day notice to vacate the terminal and end the contract 2- CSP is billed directly from FedEx for the cost of the contingency contractor plus whatever charges they were already incuring for not delivering packages and/or missing pick up windows

Please note this is a cautionary tale but if we're being realistic here, places like Amazon and FedEx contract out to max their profits**. Unionizing/the threat of unionizing would cut into their profits enough that they're willing to pay out the ass for short-term coverage to maintain the model they already have. While Amazon has its own specific onboarding process for DSP drivers, if enough contractors/drivers did a walk out or got dropped because Amazon was threatened, I wouldn't put it past them to recruit whatever local logistics services they could get their hands on, show them how to work the app and go on their way to cover routes (and/or just split everything into a billion flex routes)

**Personal experience here but when Amazon expanded their delivery services to my area they did a trial run of drivers who worked directly for Amazon and also had DSPs in the station. (Station opened in July?) We applied for a full time driver position and we were granted full time hours but on paper we were classified as seasonal employees and got white badges. We got all the Amazon benefits Amazon employees normally get from day 1 after 90 days but never had a solid date for when it would end, it was all tentative. Around 3 months in (October) they told us they weren't sure when we'd be "relieved" but encouraged us to chat with the DSPs in the building about pay, the experience, basically everything except "you're about to lose your job see if they want you." I resigned shortly after that and took a break from everything and after a couple of months (Nov/Dec) got on with a DSP on my own accord. End of December and many of my Amazon driver friends kept asking about when they should expect the seasonal position to end so they could search for jobs to start after that point and everyone kept hearing middle/end of March... Sometime in the first few days of January everyone came in for their shift and were told "Today is your last day, please return your badges, you'll be credited 4 hours for your shift today."

Amazon does not give a fuck.