Amazon workers at five additional facilities have authorized strike action, adding to the labor unrest at three other sites in New York City and Illinois.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) announced that members at four Southern California facilities and one in Atlanta voted unanimously to approve the measures. The timing aligns with Amazon’s busiest season, heightening the stakes for the e-commerce giant.
The Southern California facilities involved are located in City of Industry, Palmdale, Victorville, and San Bernardino, as noted by SiliconValley.com. Along with a warehouse in Skokie, Illinois, and two New York City facilities in Staten Island and Queens, this brings the total number of strike-authorized sites to eight. The IBT, representing nearly 10,000 workers across 10 Amazon facilities, says these votes reflect growing frustration among employees.
Union Cites Low Wages and Unsafe Conditions
Workers are striking over low wages, hazardous working conditions, and what the union describes as Amazon’s illegal refusal to recognize unionization efforts. According to Teamsters General President Sean N. O’Brien, Amazon’s treatment of its workforce has fallen short of acceptable standards.
“Amazon workers want to earn a good living, have decent health care, and be safe on the job,” O’Brien said in a statement. “They are done with the disrespect, and if Amazon keeps pushing them, they will push them to strike.”
The workers’ decision to authorize strikes during the holiday shopping season underscores the urgency of their demands. With the spotlight on Amazon’s massive logistics operations, this labor action could disrupt fulfillment timelines and pressure the company to negotiate.
The IBT has made labor conditions at Amazon a central focus of its organizing efforts, vowing to escalate actions if worker demands are ignored.
Featured Image courtesy of Angus Mordant/Bloomberg
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