Amazon workers at seven U.S. facilities staged a walkout early Thursday amid the holiday shopping rush, aiming to pressure the retailer into negotiating contracts with their union.
The strike involves warehouse workers in cities such as New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco and is described by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters as the “largest” action against Amazon to date. The union represents approximately 10,000 workers at 10 of the company’s facilities.
“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed,” said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien on Wednesday. “We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it. This strike is on them.”
The union had set a December 15 deadline for Amazon to begin negotiations after workers voted to authorize a strike.
Amazon, however, said it does not anticipate disruptions to its operations. A company spokesperson accused the union of misleading the public and coercing employees and third-party drivers to join the strike. The spokesperson noted that unionized facilities make up just 1% of Amazon’s hourly workforce and pointed to the availability of multiple warehouses and delivery depots in areas like New York City, which could minimize any impact.
As the world’s second-largest private employer after Walmart, Amazon has long faced criticism for prioritizing profits over worker safety.
Earlier this week, a U.S. Senate committee released findings from an 18-month investigation, alleging that Amazon’s demands for high-speed order fulfillment contribute to elevated rates of worker injuries. Amazon dismissed the report as “wrong on the facts” and based on outdated, selective information.
