WASHINGTON, Dec 19: The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has announced that employees at seven Amazon locations will commence a strike on Thursday morning. This action is part of the union’s strategy to urge the online retail giant to reach a labor agreement during a critical shopping season.
The Teamsters indicate that the workers, who recently voted to authorize strikes, are now joining the picket line after Amazon failed to meet the Dec. 15 deadline set by the union for contract discussions. Amazon has stated that it does not anticipate any disruptions to its operations during what the union is dubbing the largest strike against the company in U.S. history.
According to the Teamsters, they represent nearly 10,000 employees across 10 Amazon sites, which constitutes a minor fraction of the 1.5 million individuals Amazon employs across its warehouses and corporate offices.
At one location in Staten Island, New York City, thousands of employees who supported the Amazon Labour Union in 2022 have since aligned with the Teamsters. At other facilities, workers—many of whom are delivery drivers—have unionized under Teamsters representation by demonstrating majority support without the need for government-sanctioned elections.
The strikes on Thursday will occur at one Amazon warehouse in San Francisco, California, alongside six delivery stations spread across southern California, New York City, Atlanta, Georgia, and Skokie, Illinois, as reported in the union’s announcement. Workers at additional facilities are reportedly “ready to join,” according to the union.
“Amazon is driving its workers towards the picket line by neglecting to show them the respect they deserve,” stated Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien.
The Seattle-based retailer has been pursuing a redo of the election that led to the union’s success at the Staten Island warehouse now represented by the Teamsters. As part of this effort, the company has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the National Labour Relations Board.
Meanwhile, Amazon maintains that the delivery drivers, organized by the Teamsters for over a year, are not their employees. According to Amazon’s business model, these drivers are employed by third-party companies known as Delivery Service Partners, who are responsible for delivering millions of packages every day.
“For over a year, the Teamsters have persistently misled the public—claiming to represent thousands of Amazon employees and drivers. They do not, and this is yet another attempt to perpetuate a false narrative,” stated Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel.
The Teamsters contend that Amazon essentially controls all actions of the drivers and should be classified as their employer. Some U.S. labor regulators have sided with the union in filings presented to the NLRB. In response to mounting pressure, Amazon increased pay for the drivers in September. (AP)
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