Unionized Amazon staff in New York Metropolis, Atlanta, Southern California, San Francisco and Skokie, Illinois, went on strike Thursday, and extra at different amenities are ready to affix them, the Teamsters union introduced.
Teamsters locals have arrange picket traces at tons of of Amazon Achievement Facilities in order that different Amazon warehouse staff and drivers can take part. Even these with out collective bargaining agreements have the authorized proper to additionally be part of picket traces and withhold their labor, the union mentioned in a press launch.
“In case your package deal is delayed through the holidays, you possibly can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed,” Teamsters Normal President Sean O’Brien mentioned in a press release. “We gave Amazon a transparent deadline to return to the desk and do proper by our members. They ignored it.”
Amazon mentioned it hasn’t felt any affect to its operations. The corporate dismissed the strike as a public relations ploy that for probably the most half doesn’t embrace precise Amazon staff, and alleged that the Teamsters’ conduct this week and for the previous 12 months has been illegal.
“What you see listed here are virtually totally outsiders — not Amazon staff or companions — and the suggestion in any other case is simply one other lie from the Teamsters,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel mentioned in an emailed assertion. “The reality is that they have been unable to get sufficient assist from our staff and companions and have introduced in outsiders to return and harass and intimidate our workforce, which is inappropriate and harmful. We recognize all our workforce’s nice work to serve their clients and communities, and are persevering with to deal with getting clients their vacation orders.”
A Teamsters consultant pushed again in opposition to the notion that non-workers are concerned within the strike. “That is extra of Amazon spreading a false narrative. Employees at Amazon amenities throughout the nation are on strike proper now, ” Teamsters spokesperson Kara Deniz mentioned.
Amazon didn’t handle questions on how discussions with its staff are continuing, besides to say that, typically, whereas staff are free to affix a union, the corporate values partaking immediately with staff, with out an middleman. Amazon additionally listed methods it has lately improved working situations and pay at its warehouses and for its contract drivers, together with growing its beginning wages and offering free Prime memberships.
At this level, practically 10,000 Amazon staff have joined the Teamsters, “preventing for increased wages, higher advantages, and safer situations at work,” per the union’s launch.
In a press release, Gabriel Irizarry, a driver for Amazon in Skokie, refuted Amazon’s competition that its pay is already in keeping with what unions are demanding.
“They discuss an enormous recreation about taking good care of their staff, however when it comes all the way down to it, Amazon doesn’t respect us and our proper to barter for higher working situations and wages,” Irizarry mentioned. “We won’t even afford to pay our payments.”
Thursday’s motion comes about two years after the Teamsters established a division devoted to mobilizing Amazon staff. Earlier this 12 months, the Amazon Labor Union voted to affix the labor big. That group had been an unbiased group, which in 2022 beat the chances when it efficiently organized at an Amazon warehouse on Staten Island. The strike additionally is going on simply days after the U.S. Senate launched a report alleging that Amazon’s warehouses create a “uniquely harmful” work surroundings.
Amazon has mentioned that report “options selective, outdated info that lacks context and isn’t grounded in actuality.”
