Amazon warehouse workers walked off the job at several facilities nationwide, including one in New York City, early Thursday.
In a move that the Teamsters union called the largest strike against the e-commerce giant less than a week before Christmas, workers launched a strike impacting seven warehouses including one in New York City, one in Atlanta, three in Southern California, one in San Francisco and one in Skokie, Ill.
The Teamsters said it also planned to put up primary picket lines at hundreds of Amazon Fulfillment Centers nationwide.
Amazon workers on strike in Maspeth, Queens. Brigitte Stelzer
“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed,” said Teamsters general president Sean M. O’Brien in a statement.
“We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it.”
The union gave Amazon until Dec. 15 to begin negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement.
The Teamsters union called this the largest strike against the e-commerce giant. Brigitte Stelzer
The union gave Amazon until Dec. 15 to begin negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement. Brigitte Stelzer
Amazon has accused the Teamsters of illegally coercing workers to join the union. The Teamsters says it represents 10,000 Amazon workers nationwide.
The company employs around 1.5 million people in its warehouses and corporate offices.
“For more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to intentionally misled the public — claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers.’ They don’t, and this is another attempt to push a false narrative,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said.
“The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union.”
The Teamsters says it represents 10,000 Amazon workers nationwide. Brigitte Stelzer
Amazon workers at seven US facilities walked off the job early Thursday. @804_local/X
Amazon said it has increased starting minimum wage for its drivers and workers in fulfillment centers by 20%.
In September, the average base wage was raised to $22 per hour, according to a company spokesperson.
At the Staten Island warehouse, thousands of workers voted for the Amazon Labor Union in 2022 and have since affiliated with the Teamsters.
The union had given Amazon a Dec. 15 deadline to begin negotiations. Getty Images
Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien said to blame Amazon’s “greed” if holiday presents are late this year. Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
At the other facilities, employees — including many delivery drivers — have unionized with them by demonstrating majority support but without holding government-administered elections.
The Seattle-based online retailer has been seeking to redo the election that led to the union victory at the warehouse on Staten Island, which the Teamsters now represents.
In the process, the company has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the National Labor Relations Board.
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