Multitudes of Amazon employees preparing for a labor action on Thursday.
"Amazon claims its operations won't be impacted by union activities, even though the Teamsters claim to represent only 1% of its US workforce, which is around 7,000 workers nationwide. According to Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien, Amazon disregarded their deadline to negotiate fair terms for employees.
In a statement published on X, O'Brien stated, "If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can lay the blame on Amazon's unquenchable desire for profit."
Surprisingly, the union did not call for a strike at the Staten Island warehouse, despite it being the first location where employees voted to unionize in 2022. The union had previously declared a strike had been authorized by its members there. They didn't explain why those members didn't participate in the strike. The NLRB certified the election, but Amazon is contesting it in court.
At 6 am ET Thursday, the first facility to experience a strike was one in Queens, where the union claims to represent drivers working for an Amazon contractor. The union argues that they are joint employers, along with the delivery service, under a rule announced by the NLRB. However, Amazon and other business groups are challenging this rule.
Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, countered with, "It's important to note that the Teamsters do not represent any Amazon employees, contrary to their claims. This entire situation is just a PR stunt and the Teamsters' behavior this year, including this week, is illegal."
Additional locations slated for strikes later Thursday morning include one in Skokie, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, along with locations in Atlanta, San Francisco, Victorville, and the City of Industry, California."
This situation is still evolving. We'll keep you updated.
The union's ongoing dispute with Amazon largely revolves around negotiating fair terms for its 7,000 US workers who form part of the business's workforce. Despite opposition from Amazon, the Teamsters argue that they have the right to jointly employ drivers working for Amazon contractors, citing a rule announced by the NLRB.
