Today’s News
Thousands of Amazon.com workers are set to walk off the job on Thursday at 6 a.m. ET (1100 GMT) at several key U.S. warehouses, just days before the peak of the holiday shopping season. The strike was called after union officials accused the e-commerce giant of failing to engage in contract negotiations.
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The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced that unionized employees at Amazon facilities in New York City, Skokie (Illinois), Atlanta, San Francisco, and southern California will join the strike. The union said its members are demanding better wages and improved working conditions.
According to the Teamsters, the strike will impact seven out of 10 Amazon facilities where the union represents workers, which collectively account for about 1% of Amazon’s U.S. hourly workforce.
The timing of the strike poses a significant risk to Amazon’s logistics and delivery network, especially as it attempts to meet heightened holiday demand. However, in the New York City area alone, Amazon operates multiple warehouses and smaller delivery depots that support its same-day delivery service, potentially softening the impact.
Deadline for Bargaining Missed
The union had set a deadline for Amazon to begin negotiations by Sunday. After no progress was made, workers at several facilities voted to authorize a strike. On Wednesday, the Teamsters said local unions would also establish picket lines at hundreds of Amazon Fulfillment Centers nationwide.
Observers have noted that Amazon is unlikely to enter formal contract talks, as doing so could encourage more union actions across its vast warehouse network. “Amazon clearly has developed a strategy of ignoring their workers’ rights to collectively organize and negotiate,” said Benjamin Sachs, a labor and industry professor at Harvard Law School. He noted that, more than two years after workers at a Staten Island warehouse voted to unionize, Amazon still has not recognized the group.
Amazon Pushes Back Against Unionization
Amazon has fought unionization efforts at multiple levels. The company filed objections with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) over the 2022 Staten Island warehouse election, alleging bias among NLRB officials. In September 2024, Amazon took its objections a step further, filing a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the NLRB itself.
The company also accused the Teamsters of using illegal tactics to pressure workers to join the union. In response, the Teamsters said the Staten Island warehouse could join the current strike at any time, along with another southern California facility where workers had previously voted to join the walkout.
Amazon has faced similar labor unrest abroad, with strikes over pay and working conditions taking place in Spain, Germany, and other countries. As the world’s second-largest private employer after Walmart, Amazon has long been a key target for unions. Workers have complained that the company’s focus on speed and efficiency increases the risk of injury, though Amazon argues it offers industry-leading wages and has introduced automation to reduce repetitive stress.
Broader Union Pressure on Amazon
The upcoming strike is part of a broader wave of labor activism aimed at Amazon. In November, workers at a Philadelphia Whole Foods store filed to hold a union election, marking the first such effort since Amazon acquired the grocery chain in 2017. Additionally, an administrative judge recently ordered a third union election at an Alabama warehouse, ruling that Amazon had violated labor laws to prevent previous unionization efforts.
Amazon has taken steps to address worker demands. Earlier this year, it announced a USD 2.1 billion investment to raise wages for fulfillment and transportation employees in the U.S. The move increased base pay for warehouse workers by at least USD 1.50 per hour, bringing the average hourly wage to around USD 22, a roughly 7% increase.
As the strike approaches, all eyes will be on how Amazon navigates this latest labor dispute at a critical time in its peak holiday season.
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