Amazon Union Workers Threaten to Strike as Negotiations Stall

Amazon is facing a potential strike threat just as the holiday rush draws closer to its peak. Taking the wages and working conditions into their own hands, Amazon union workers are preparing to go on strike, after voting overwhelmingly to authorize the resistance. 

The Amazon workers’ strike is expected to take place at two NYC facilities—JFK8 and DBK4—after the e-commerce company was accused of “illegally” refusing to recognize their union and negotiate a contract with them. 

“We are ready to strike to stop Amazon’s unfair labor practices. Amazon is legally required to bargain a union contract that addresses our low pay and unsafe working conditions. We are going to hold this company accountable,” the Amazon Teamster force wrote online. 

Image: Amazon

Amazon Confronted by a Union Strike Led by Teamsters

Amazon workers across 10 facilities across the U.S. have moved to establish a union in partnership with the Teamster Brotherhood in order to have their working conditions renegotiated as a collective. However, Amazon has been accused of failing to uphold its legal obligation to acknowledge the union and establish a new contract with the unionized workforce. 

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters confirmed the strike’s authorization after it put the matter to a vote and found that a large number of workers were in favor of a strike. The vote at the DBK4 facility is believed to have been nearly unanimous. 

Amazon was asked to confirm bargaining dates for a union contract by December 15, 2024, however, we have no updates on whether the company has agreed to negotiate in good faith. 

“Amazon is pushing its workers closer to the picket line by failing to show them the respect they have earned,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said in a press release. “We’ve been clear: Amazon has until December 15 to come to the table and bargain for a contract. If these white-collar criminals want to keep breaking the law, they better get ready for a fight.”

“We aren’t asking for much,” James Saccardo, a worker at Amazon’s JFK8, said in a statement. “We just want what everyone else in America wants — to do our jobs and get paid enough to take care of ourselves and our families. And Amazon isn’t letting us do that.”

What Does Amazon Have to Say About the Labor Strike Update?

A spokesperson for Amazon told ABC News that “the Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public—claiming they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers.’” According to the organization, the union has promoted a false narrative to the public, painting a distorted picture of the situation.

Amazon has historically been anti-union and frequently accused of union-busting activities. In this particular case, the company has not shared its stance on the issue and how it plans to tackle the threat of a union strike so close to the holiday surge. The company’s arrival at the negotiation table will determine how the next few days play out.

Amazon’s Staten Island facility was the first to solidify its union presence. Since then, the e-commerce giant has been engaged in an attempt to overturn the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruling on the union victory, filing appeals to undo the formalization of the union. As such, it appears the company has not acknowledged the formation of the union or negotiated a contract with its members. 

Labor organizations are working collectively across the country—and outside of it—to represent the workers’ interests and negotiate better wages and benefits for them. From the Canada Post workers stepping out in protest to the hotel workers across the U.S. demanding better wages, there has been unrest witnessed among the labor force across industries.

Amazon is also facing some pushback from corporate workers with regard to its 5-day return-to-work mandate, however, it does not appear too worried about the threat of workers quitting in large numbers. 

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