Teamsters union members initiated a strike against Amazon early Thursday, affecting six facilities in four states across the country. Despite the union's claims to represent 7,000 Amazon workers nationwide, this constitutes less than 1% of the company's US workforce. Amazon has stated that its operations will not be impacted by the union's actions.
Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien attributed the strike to Amazon's alleged greed, stating that the company failed to meet the union's demands. The strike commenced at a facility in Queens, where the union represents drivers employed by an Amazon contractor. The union argues that, under a rule announced by the National Labor Relations Board, these workers can be considered joint employees of both the delivery service and Amazon.
Notably, the Staten Island warehouse, the first location where employees voted to join a union in 2022, did not participate in the strike despite previous announcements. The union did not provide immediate clarification on this decision. Amazon is contesting the election's certification by the NLRB in court.
Additional locations slated for strike action on Thursday include facilities in Skokie, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, as well as sites in Atlanta, San Francisco, Victorville, and the City of Industry, California. Amazon has refuted the Teamsters' claims of representing its employees, labeling the union's actions as illegal and a public relations tactic.