Amazon workers at seven U.S. facilities staged a walkout on Thursday during the holiday shopping season, protesting what they claim is unfair treatment by the retail giant, Reuters news report said.
Employees in cities such as New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco joined what the Teamsters union described as the largest strike ever against Amazon, although the action caused minimal disruption to the company’s operations.
Amazon, the world’s second-largest private employer after Walmart, has long faced scrutiny over workplace conditions, with unions criticizing its emphasis on speed and efficiency as a source of injuries.
The company defends its practices, stating that it offers industry-leading wages and implements automation to reduce physical strain.
Workers involved in the strike are urging Amazon to address their concerns about health impacts stemming from demanding productivity quotas. However, the number of striking workers is a small fraction of Amazon’s 800,000-strong U.S. workforce, which operates across more than 600 fulfillment centers, delivery stations, and same-day facilities.
Protesters outside Amazon’s Queens facility included both workers and Teamsters members, though operations continued with police facilitating truck movement past demonstrators.
Amazon has accused the Teamsters of misleading the public and attempting to coerce workers into joining the strike. The company, which operates multiple facilities in most metropolitan areas, stated it does not anticipate significant operational impact during the busy holiday season.
Earlier this year, Amazon announced a $2.1 billion investment to raise wages for U.S. fulfillment and transportation employees, increasing base pay to around $22 per hour. Despite this, labor actions have intensified across the service sector, with unions gaining traction in industries ranging from automotive to coffee shops. Amazon continues to resist unionization efforts, challenging a 2022 vote to unionize its Staten Island facility and filing objections with the National Labor Relations Board.
In San Francisco, a small group of warehouse employees joined protesters demanding better safety conditions and benefits. Workers described the physical toll of their jobs and criticized the lack of adequate support for part-time employees. Meanwhile, solidarity strikes by Germany’s United Services Union began at Amazon warehouses in Europe, underscoring the growing international push for improved working conditions at the e-commerce giant.
