Workers at seven Amazon locations initiated a strike on Thursday, marking a significant effort by the Teamsters union to negotiate a labor agreement during a crucial shopping period. The Teamsters reported that the workers, who recently authorized strikes, took to the picket lines after Amazon did not meet a Sunday deadline for contract negotiations. The union labeled this action as the largest strike against Amazon in the United States to date, although the company stated it did not expect the strike to disrupt operations.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters claims to represent nearly 10,000 workers at ten different Amazon facilities, a small slice of Amazon’s overall workforce of 800,000 U.S. employees. The union has not disclosed the exact number of strikers or the anticipated duration of the walkout.
Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien expressed that Amazon is driving its workers towards the picket line due to a lack of respect in negotiations. The strikes are occurring at seven delivery stations, with locations including three in Southern California and one each in San Francisco, New York City, Atlanta, and Skokie, Illinois.
During the strike in Queens, New York, two individuals were arrested, although the police did not disclose the reasons for the arrests. The workers striking on Thursday had previously shown majority support for unionizing under the Teamsters without a formal election process. Notably, the largest warehouse represented by the Teamsters is in Staten Island, where workers previously voted to join the Amazon Labor Union before aligning with the Teamsters earlier this year.
Despite the Teamsters’ push for negotiations, Amazon has challenged the unionization effort and even filed a lawsuit questioning the National Labor Relations Board’s constitutionality. The company, which classifies its delivery drivers as employees of third-party contractors, has pushed back against the Teamsters’ claims, alleging that their strikers include many “outsiders.”
While Amazon maintains that the strike will not impact its operations, extended walkouts could potentially slow deliveries in certain urban areas. Nevertheless, amid this labor tension, Amazon shares saw a 1.3% uptick on Thursday.
This strike underscores a growing movement among Amazon workers seeking better working conditions and negotiations around labor agreements. As more workers become engaged with unions, the labor landscape within giant corporations like Amazon may continue to evolve, potentially leading to improved rights and conditions for employees in the long run.