Amazon.com workers at seven US facilities are walked off during the holiday shopping spree leaving the company in a stressful situation. With this strike the workers are hoping to pressure the online shopping giant into contract with their union.
Thousands of Amazon.com workers across seven U.S. facilities launched a strike early Thursday, targeting the holiday shopping rush to demand contract negotiations with the e-commerce giant. Organized by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the walkout is being described as the "largest strike against Amazon in U.S. history."
Employees from New York City, Atlanta, San Francisco, three sites in Southern California, and Skokie, Illinois, joined the strike. The Teamsters, which represent nearly 10,000 Amazon employees at 10 facilities, said workers at other locations are prepared to join in soon.
This action follows a Dec. 15 deadline set by the Teamsters for Amazon to begin negotiations. Workers at several sites had voted to authorize the strike after the company failed to join discussions. The Staten Island warehouse, Amazon’s first unionized facility, has been at the centre of labour disputes, with workers accusing the company of refusing to recognize their union.
"If your holiday package is delayed, you can hold Amazon’s insatiable greed responsible," said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien. "We gave them a clear deadline to do right by their workers. They ignored it. This strike is on them."
Considering that Unions represent only about 1% of the labour force of Amazon, the company downplayed the impact of the strike, claiming its operations would remain unaffected during this busy shopping period. The company also accused the Teamsters of misrepresenting their influence and using unlawful tactics.
Union efforts have been an issue for Amazon for a long time now. The company has taken legal action to challenge unionization attempts several times. This includes appealing a 2022 Staten Island union vote and filing a federal lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Board.
Despite the tension, Amazon has highlighted efforts to improve worker pay. Earlier this year, it announced a $2.1 billion investment to raise wages for fulfilment and transportation employees, bringing the average base pay to $22 per hour—a 7% increase. The Teamsters, however, criticized the company for ignoring greater demands for a labour agreement.
For now, the strike remains as a significant escalation in the ongoing battle between the retail giant and organized labour.
Read next
11:46
Azerbaijan-Armenia
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confidently announced that there will be no war between Armenia and Azerbaijan, emphasizing a shared commitment to a peaceful and prosperous future for the region.
10:22
US - UK
President Donald Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer have reached a trade agreement that lowers U.S. tariffs on British autos, steel, and aluminum, while maintaining a 10% baseline tariff on other goods and boosting American exports of beef and ethanol.
10:03
Morning Brief
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for May 9th , covering the latest developments you need to know.
07:20
Soft-spoken U.S. Pope
Before becoming Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost shared rare insights on faith, unity, and modern challenges in a few candid interviews.
06:20
Food aid reaches Samsun
A humanitarian ship carrying 20,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat docked in Samsun, Türkiye, on Thursday, marking a major World Food Program initiative to supply crisis-hit regions, including Syria.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment