Amazon Workers Strike Nationwide: Teamsters Call For Fair Labor Contract During Holiday Rush
Workers at seven Amazon facilities went on strike Thursday in a brazen attempt to win fair labour contracts. The Teamsters union calls this the largest collective action against the retail giant in U.S. history. The strikes are happening at a crucial time for Amazon, with pressure mounting on the firm to meet the union’s demands during the hurly-burly of the shopping season.
What are workers striking about?
Amazon missed the Sunday deadline for contract negotiations, and the Teamsters union claims that is why workers took action. Although the union’s presence was enormous, Amazon is confident its business will continue to be unhindered.
As many as 1.5 million people work at Amazon globally, but the Teamsters represent about 10,000 workers at 10 U.S. facilities. It includes delivery drivers and warehouse employees who’ve been vocal about their desire to unionize.
The strike includes one key site on Staten Island, New York, where thousands of workers affiliated with the Amazon Labor Union voted to unionize in 2022. Six other facilities that halted work include delivery stations in California, New York City, Atlanta, Georgia, and Skokie, Illinois.
The Teamsters are Standing Up
Sean M. O’Brien, Teamsters General President, criticized Amazon for failing to negotiate in good faith:
O’Brien said that Amazon is pushing its workers closer to the picket line by not showing respect to the people they have earned.
The union contends that because Amazon controls delivery drivers who work for Delivery Service Partners, Amazon is liable for their working conditions. The Teamsters’ case is bolstered by some labour regulators, including the case before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Amazon’s Response
Amazon denies it is a party to the dispute and says the striking delivery drivers are not its employees. According to spokesperson Kelly Nantel:
*”For the past year and a half, the Teamsters have strenuously misled the public — claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers.’ And this is another attempt to push a false narrative “they don’t,” as it were.”
Suing in court to challenge NLRB wins has even led the Seattle-based company to challenge union victories, such as the Staten Island warehouse election, on the basis that the NLRB is unconstitutional.
This is A Battle Over Worker Rights
According to the Teamsters, while Amazon’s delivery drivers technically work for the company’s third-party contractors, they’re nevertheless de facto Amazon employees because of its tight control. Amazon increased pay for drivers in September amid mounting union pressure, but workers say it needs to do more to improve working conditions.
The strikes are becoming increasingly common among Amazon’s workforce, demanding better treatment, pay, and benefits. If they succeed, the strikes will set a precedent for labour rights in one of the world’s largest corporations.
What’s Next?
The Teamsters have been hinting that more facilities are ready to join the strike if negotiations don’t progress. Amazon shares are rising slightly amid the unrest, so the question remains: Will the e-commerce giant give its workers what they want o, or will the standoff escalate further?
It’s high stakes time for Amazon as the holiday shopping season shines a light on labour practices.
