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Teamsters’ Strikes at Amazon Facilities Across the US
Thousands of workers affiliated with the Teamsters union began striking at Amazon facilities across the country on Thursday, claiming it as the largest strike against the online shopping giant in US history. The strikes, which were announced earlier this week, are in response to Amazon’s refusal to bargain with workers organized with the Teamsters.
The union claims that the strikes, which are taking place at facilities in New York City, Atlanta, Southern California, San Francisco, and Illinois, are affecting hundreds of Amazon Fulfillment Centers nationwide. Teamsters President Sean O’Brien will join striking members at a facility in the City of Industry, California, on Friday as the strike enters its second day.
Amazon, however, is downplaying the impact of the strikes, claiming that the majority of the participants are not its employees or partners, but rather outside organizers. "What you see here are almost entirely outsiders – not Amazon employees or partners – and the suggestion otherwise is just another lie from the Teamsters," a company spokesperson said.
The Teamsters, which represent nearly 9,000 Amazon workers across 20 bargaining units, are seeking higher wages, improved benefits, and safer working conditions. Teamsters Local 63, which joined the strike, held a rally in downtown Los Angeles on Monday in support of unionizing Amazon workers in Alabama.
Amazon, on the other hand, claims that the Teamsters have engaged in illegal activities, such as coercing workers to join the union. The company has increased its starting minimum wage and average base wage over the past year, citing these increases as evidence that workers are already fairly compensated.
The strike comes as Amazon workers are struggling to make ends meet, with many saying that the company’s priorities have been driven by profit over people. In a statement, Teamsters President O’Brien criticized Amazon’s leadership, saying, "If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed."