Amazon workers to go on strike in US over busy Christmas period | Labor Rights

The Teamsters union is calling for workers in New York, Atlanta and San Francisco to walk off the job over pay and conditions.

Thousands of Amazon workers in the United States will strike during the busy Christmas period after union officials accused the retailer of refusing to enter into negotiations for better wages and conditions.

The Teamsters union said on Wednesday that warehouse workers will join picket lines in cities including New York, Atlanta and San Francisco starting at 6am Eastern Time (11:00 GMT) on Thursday in the largest strike against the company in US history.

“If your package is delayed over the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed. We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do the right thing by our members. They are ignoring you,” said Teamsters General President Sean M O’Brien in a statement.

“These greedy managers had every opportunity to show dignity and respect to the people who make their shameful profits. Instead, they pushed workers to the limit and are now paying the price. This strike is upon them.”

The Teamsters, one of the largest unions in North America, say they represent about 10,000 Amazon workers out of about 800,000 American workers.

Amazon disputes the union’s claim to represent any of its workers and says its conduct is illegal.

“For more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to deliberately mislead the public – saying they represent ‘thousands of Amazon workers and drivers’. They don’t, and this is another attempt to spin a false story,” Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel told Al Jazeera.

“The truth is that the Teamsters threatened, intimidated and tried to coerce Amazon workers and third-party drivers into joining, which is illegal and is the subject of numerous labor abuse lawsuits against the union.”

Amazon, the world’s second-largest private employer after Walmart, has for years faced accusations that it puts profits above safe conditions at its facilities.

A US Senate committee earlier this week released the findings of an 18-month investigation that found the company was pushing its store workers to fill orders at a speed that could cause high injury rates.

Amazon said the report was “incorrect in its facts and selected, out-of-date information that lacks context and is not based in fact”.

Last month, Amazon workers in more than 20 countries, including the US and the United Kingdom, announced the “Make Amazon Pay” campaign of protests and strikes aimed at raising awareness of labor abuses and environmental degradation.