Amazon is facing the prospect of a worker strike in the US just weeks before Christmas, as members of the Teamsters union have voted to support potential industrial action, BBC reports.
The dispute centers on the company’s alleged refusal to recognize the union or meet a December 15 deadline to negotiate a worker contract.
The strike threat could disrupt operations at Amazon facilities in Southern California, New York, and Illinois, according to a statement from the Teamsters, one of the most influential unions in the United States.
“The corporate elitists who run Amazon are leaving workers with no choice,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Amazon must be held accountable to workers and consumers alike. If workers are forced onto the picket line, Amazon will be striking itself.”
The Teamsters union claims to represent thousands of workers at 10 Amazon sites across the country. The union argues that employees at these sites are seeking better working conditions, fair wages, and more secure employment terms.
In response, Amazon strongly refuted the union’s assertions. Eileen Hards, a spokesperson for the company, denied that the Teamsters have the level of worker support they claim.
“The union has continued to intentionally mislead the public – claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers’. They don’t,” Hards said.
She also accused the Teamsters of engaging in illegal tactics.
“The Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal,” Hards added.
Amazon has long opposed unionization at its facilities, arguing that it offers competitive wages and benefits to employees. However, critics say the company’s treatment of warehouse workers does not meet basic safety standards, a claim that has been reinforced by recent findings from a congressional investigation.
The potential strike comes at a time when Amazon is under fresh scrutiny for its treatment of warehouse workers. A recent Senate investigation led by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) concluded that the e-commerce giant prioritizes productivity over worker safety.
The investigation revealed that Amazon warehouse workers were pushed to meet “unrealistic production quotas”, resulting in higher injury rates than the industry average. According to the findings, injury rates at Amazon warehouses in 2023 were 30% higher than those of other US warehouses.
The Senate probe, which began in June 2023, was based on 135 interviews with workers and a review of more than 1,000 documents. The investigation concluded that Amazon had consistently failed to implement recommended safety improvements due to fears that such changes would hurt its profits.
“Their model is, in fact, dangerous,” Sanders said in a statement on the investigation.
Amazon dismissed the Senate’s findings, saying they were “wrong on the facts” and relied on “outdated, selective information that lacks context”. The company maintains that it is working to improve safety and transparency at its warehouses.
The potential strike threat is the latest chapter in Amazon’s ongoing labor disputes and unionization efforts. The company, which employs about 800,000 people in the US, has faced criticism over worker safety, wages, and conditions for years.
The issue gained global attention during the Covid-19 pandemic, when demand for e-commerce surged, and warehouse workers raised concerns about health and safety. Protests erupted at Amazon facilities worldwide, with employees calling for better protections against Covid-19 exposure.
In response, Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, acknowledged the need for improvement.
“We need to do better by our employees,” Bezos said at the time.
However, worker advocacy groups have argued that the company’s promises have fallen short.
