Workers nationwide launched the largest strike against Amazon in U.S. history on Dec. 19, targeting the $2 trillion corporation during the peak holiday season.
Teamsters union members initiated the action after Amazon refused to negotiate with thousands of employees who organized under the union.
The strike affects several major Amazon facilities, including locations in California, Georgia, Illinois and New York.
Teamsters local unions establish primary picket lines at hundreds of Amazon fulfillment centers nationwide. Non-union warehouse workers and drivers have the legal right to honor these picket lines by withholding labor.
Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien expressed who is at fault for the action smack dab in the middle of the holiday season.
“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed,” O’Brien said. “These greedy executives had every chance to show decency and respect for the people who make their obscene profits possible.”
Workers demand higher wages, better benefits and safer working conditions. Many employees say Amazon’s current practices leave them unable to afford basic living expenses despite the company’s vast wealth.
Driver Gabriel Irizarry criticized Amazon’s approach to labor negotiations.
“Amazon is one of the biggest, richest corporations in the world,” Irizarry said. “They talk a big game about taking care of their workers, but when it comes down to it, Amazon does not respect us and our right to negotiate for better working conditions and wages. We can’t even afford to pay our bills.”
Warehouse worker Leah Pensler described the strike as a critical moment for labor rights.
“What we’re doing is historic,” Pensler said. “We are fighting against a vicious union-busting campaign, and we are going to win.”
More on the Amazon strike
Nearly 10,000 Amazon employees joined the union, citing the need for collective bargaining to address workplace issues. Sean M. O’Brien said that Amazon had ample opportunities to engage in negotiations but chose otherwise.
“We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it,” O’Brien said.
As the second-largest corporation on the Fortune 500 list, Amazon remains under scrutiny for its labor practices. The strike’s timing during the holiday season underscores the workers’ leverage in disrupting one of the company’s busiest periods.
Worker Dia Ortiz expressed confidence in the Teamsters’ ability to prevail.
“I’ve seen the Teamsters win big battles,” Ortiz said. “We’re ready to do what it takes to win this one.”
The strike expects far-reaching implications for Amazon’s operations and the broader labor movement.
Amazon responds to Teamsters strike
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel responded to the Teamsters Union, calling what they are doing illegal.
“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,” Nantel said in a statement.
As holiday shoppers anticipate potential delays, the strike serves as a reminder of the workers behind the packages and their ongoing fight for fair treatment in one of the world’s largest corporations.
“They’ve (Amazon) pushed workers to the limit, and now they’re paying the price. This strike is on them,” O’Brien said.
Contact multi-media & senior sports reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more news, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
