Amazon Workers Strike As Union Threatens Christmas Package Delays

Thousands of Amazon workers went on strike on Thursday as shoppers rush to complete last-minute holiday shopping the week before Christmas.

Union workers at seven fulfillment centers across the country joined the strike, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The union called the strike the largest ever against the online retail giant, according to The Wall Street Journal.

“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed. We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it,” Teamsters head Sean O’Brien said in a statement posted to X. “These greedy executives had every chance to show decency and respect for the people who make their obscene profits possible. Instead, they’ve pushed workers to the limit and now they’re paying the price. This strike is on them.”

Amazon said the work stoppage is not expected to affect Christmas shopping and delivery times. It is unclear how long the strike is expected to last, though a representative for the union has said it would last beyond Thursday.

The battle between Amazon and the Teamsters has escalated recently as the company continues to fight against a 2022 union election in Staten Island, New York. The Amazon Labor Union won the vote, which was certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The union later voted to affiliate with the Teamsters.

The company has maintained that the election was unfair and continues to fight for another vote. Amazon has also filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the NLRB.

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“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,” Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.

“Our employees have a choice of whether or not to join a union. They always have,” Nantel said, according to CNN. “We favor opportunities for each person to be respected and valued as an individual and to have their unique voice heard by working directly with our team.” Amazon is on record saying it believes the 2022 election in Staten Island was not a level playing field and that the results certified by the NLRB do not accurately reflect the opinion of the workers at the facility.

Amazon and the Teamsters have also argued whether delivery drivers are Amazon employees or contractors. Amazon says delivery drivers are employees of a separate business, Delivery Service Partners.

“There are a lot of nuances here but I want to be clear, the Teamsters don’t represent any Amazon employees despite their claims to the contrary,” Nantel said. “This entire narrative is a PR play and the Teamsters’ conduct this past year, and this week is illegal.”