NEW YORK (AP) — The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced Wednesday it will initiate a nationwide strike against Amazon on Thursday morning, potentially disrupting deliveries less than a week before Christmas in what the union calls the largest-ever labor action against the e-commerce giant.
The strike will target multiple Amazon facilities, including locations in New York City, Atlanta, Southern California, San Francisco, and Skokie, Illinois. The Teamsters also plan to establish primary picket lines at hundreds of Amazon fulfillment centers across the country.
“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said in a statement. “We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it.”
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel disputed the union’s claims, stating the Teamsters have illegally pressured workers to join their ranks. “For more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public – claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers’. They don’t, and this is another attempt to push a false narrative,” Nantel said.
The company defended its labor practices, citing a recent increase in starting minimum wage for fulfillment center and transportation employees by 20%, with average base wages now at $22 per hour as of September.
The strike announcement follows union authorization votes at several Amazon facilities. The Teamsters claim nearly 10,000 Amazon workers nationwide have joined their organization.
The labor dispute has intensified since Amazon’s Staten Island facility became the company’s first unionized warehouse in 2022. Workers there say Amazon has refused to recognize their union and negotiate a contract, despite the National Labor Relations Board’s official certification. Amazon has appealed that ruling.
The timing of the strike could significantly impact holiday deliveries during one of Amazon’s busiest periods. The Teamsters say this action comes after repeated attempts to engage Amazon in bargaining discussions.
According to Nantel, the union has “threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers,” leading to multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the Teamsters.
The strike represents a major escalation in the ongoing struggle between organized labor and Amazon, which has faced increasing pressure over working conditions and union recognition at its facilities nationwide.
