ALBAWABA - Workers at seven Amazon locations in Georgia, California, Illinois, and New York went on strike Thursday, calling demands for better pay, benefits, and safer working conditions.
The Teamsters union organized the strike in an attempt to get Amazon to engage in negotiations at the busiest time of year during Christmas shopping. The union claims that it had previously given Amazon a deadline to agree to negotiations, but the company failed to fulfill the demand.
“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.” said Teamsters President Sean O’Brien criticized Amazon’s stance.
Meanwhile, in a statement to CNBC, Amazon accused the union of deceiving the public by asserting that the majority of the protesters were not workers and that business as usual continues at the impacted locations.
With around 10,000 workers joining the strike, the Teamsters described it as the biggest in Amazon's history. Employees objected against difficult scheduling, low compensation, and harsh working conditions.
Under strict supervision, drivers reported delivering hundreds of items every day; some even resorted to peeing in bottles in order to meet deadlines, NYT reports. Christian Santana brought attention to the physical strain of driving, while Antonio Lopez, a driver making $23 per hour, demanded to be fairly compensated.
Amazon argues that it has no obligation to engage in negotiations with drivers who are employed by outside contractors. The National Labor Relations Board, however, has backed allegations that some drivers in fact are employed by Amazon and accused the corporation with violating labor regulations by refusing to engage in negotiations.
“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,” Sean O’Brien added in a press release, signaling that more strikes could follow if Amazon does not address workers’ demands.
