Lately there has been a lot of back and forth regarding Amazon’s new warehouse proposed near the airport. There are those for and against the project, citing everything from wetlands protection to traffic mitigation, but one issue I don’t see discussed quite enough is the impact of more non-union, easily exploitable jobs in the Eugene-Springfield market. 

Amazon’s contracted delivery partner model ensures that none of the thousands of contracted employees across the country that drive the big blue vans with the smile across their sides can unionize, or do any meaningful action to ensure they get fair pay. Those who have medical emergencies on the road, or need days off for doctor’s appointments and family matters, are fired without a second thought, and replaced with yet another down-on-their-luck worker with nothing else to lose. 

Sure, there is absolutely something to be said about the possibility of more work becoming available to people. The current job market is difficult enough for those with degrees or trade skills, and harder yet for those without. We as a community absolutely need more options to ensure we can continue to pay rent and keep food on the table. But in today’s economy, with its ever-growing cost of living, the last thing we need is yet another employer who uses predatory employment practices that keep wages low and a constant stream of hiring and firing. 

As a community, it’s our responsibility to ensure that new out of town employers only bring the best opportunities to our neighbors, family members and friends. If not, we just allow our job market to become even more saturated with low-paying, bad quality jobs that just perpetuate the cycle of negative economic growth for the people of our city.

Agostinho Da Silva
Eugene