The Teamsters Union Launched a Strike Against Amazon Just Before the Holidays
The strike is designed to have maximal impact over the holidays.
Published Dec. 19 2024, 10:59 a.m. ET
If your Amazon package doesn't arrive on time, you might have a Teamsters strike to blame. The union announced that they were launching a strike against Amazon at seven locations across four different states just ahead of the holiday rush.
Following the news that some Amazon workers were going on strike, many wanted to better understand what these workers are striking for, and whether the strike will impact Amazon's operations. Here's what we know about the strike.
Why are Amazon workers striking?
Amazon workers who are part of the Teamsters union, which represents drivers, have gone on strike to fight for better benefits and working conditions.
“We are struggling and fighting for basic benefits and needs that are otherwise an industry standard,” driver Luke Cianciotto explained. “Many of us, we don’t have any Christmas presents under the tree this year. The wages and hours we get working for Amazon simply aren’t enough to get by in today’s economy.”
The union has pointed to Amazon's record-breaking profits in recent years as justification for the strike, saying that the company can afford to pay its workers better.
“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 General President Sean O’Brien said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
The Teamsters are on strike in large part because Amazon refuses to even negotiate with them. The Teamsters are claiming to represent contractors who work for a subcontractor of Amazon, but cite a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board that says the workers can be considered to be employed by both the contractor and Amazon. Amazon is challenging that ruling, and argues that the Teamsters don't actually represent these workers, despite claims to the contrary.
Amazon has denied that the employees are union members.
“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,” said Kelly Nantel, a spokesperson for Amazon, in a statement. “This entire narrative is a PR play and the Teamsters’ conduct this past year, and this week, is illegal.”
The union workers are striking prior to the holidays in an attempt to put maximum pressure on Amazon.
Amazon, meanwhile, has said that its operations will not be disrupted by the strike, which less than one percent of its employees are participating in.
The company has been anti-union throughout its locations across the country, denying the right to organize wherever possible and actively discouraging employees from joining those unions.
This strike might have a very minimal impact on Amazon's overall operations. Even so, it's a reminder that Amazon is one of America's biggest employers, and as such wields immense power over its employees. Their strike is an attempt to fight for what they consider fair, even if it means that it takes a little longer to get your packages.