Amazon workers strike at seven US sites during year's busiest period

[midian182]

Why it matters: It's not just corporate employees leaving over the company's aggressive return-to-office policy that Amazon has to worry about. Workers at seven of its facilities walked off the job this morning in what their union is calling the "largest strike" against Amazon in US history.

According to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents 10,000 workers at ten Amazon facilities, warehouse workers in cities including New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco are taking part in the strike.

The union had given Amazon a December 15 deadline to begin talks with employees, but the company has refused to negotiate contracts with unionized workers.

"If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon's insatiable greed. We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it," Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien said in a statement.

"These greedy executives had every chance to show decency and respect for the people who make their obscene profits possible. Instead, they've pushed workers to the limit and now they're paying the price. This strike is on them."

The prospect of not receiving your Amazon-bought goods in time for Christmas is certainly concerning. However, Amazon says that it does not expect the strike to impact its operations. A company spokesperson said the union continues to "intentionally mislead the public – claiming that they represent 'thousands of Amazon employees and drivers'. They don't, and this is another attempt to push a false narrative."

Amazon added that the Teamsters have threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers. It says such actions are illegal and the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union.

Striking during Amazon's busiest period of the year will cause some headaches for the company and customers, but its unionized facilities make up only about 1% of Amazon's hourly workforce, and areas such as New York have multiple warehouses and smaller delivery depots, writes Reuters.

Amazon has long faced accusations that its warehouse employees have to endure abusive and dangerous working conditions. The company continues to deny these claims, despite repeated strikes by staff.

A US senate committee released a report on Amazon's warehouse safety practices on Sunday. It stated that at least two internal studies showed a link between the speed at which workers perform tasks and workplace injuries, but Amazon rejected many safety recommendations as it feared they may reduce productivity.

Amazon said the report was "wrong on the facts and features selective, outdated information that lacks context and isn't grounded in reality."

November saw the launch of the Make Amazon Pay campaign, in which Amazon workers and allies in more than 20 countries strike and protest against what it calls the company's anti-worker and anti-democratic practices. The actions, which took place over Black Friday weekend, are now in their fifth year.

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Amazon workers strike at seven US sites during year's busiest period

 

[yRaz]

As a member of the OPCMIA local 526, I can tell you that this strike is very real. The
Pittsburgh Amazon facility is reaching out to other local unions for advice on how to move forward. The teamsters union is nonsense these days, the way amazon talks about them sounds like a middle manager spouting talking points given them to an AI.

The Iron workers, Carpenters, Labors, BAC, and OPCMIA are all standing behind the Amazon employees this holiday season.

 

[BobHome]

Welp, I guess Amazon will have to hire more robots, huh?
(Wait! Don't they already treat their workers like robots? Maybe the higher-up have forgotten the differences....)

 

[brucek]

If Amazon is a bad employer today, they were probably one last week and last month and three months ago too. So the reason there is a strike only now just for the holidays is because this is when the union wanted to do it. I'm all for their members taking the jobs they want and more power to them when they tell Amazon to screw off for real, but as to lousing up the holidays for the whole country just to maximize the attention on them, for that I hope they get coal in their stockings.

 

[The Talking Tech]

Amazon is the biggest on retail and the worst with workers pay and compensation.

 

[GABulldog]

You ever watch the movie Minority Report with Tom Cruise? There is one scene where a car was built from start to finish with no humans involved. Pretty soon that's the way it's going to be. If the union thinks they're going to get brownie points by doing shock and awe at Christmas time, they're sadly mistaken. People are not going to just blame Amazon because they didn't get their packages, they'll blame the union as well. Most people don't care about company politics, all they care about is getting the goods they paid for. When a Christmas gift for some parent's 5 year old is not under the tree by Christmas time, the sparks are going to fly.

 

[yRaz]

If Amazon is a bad employer today, they were probably one last week and last month and three months ago too. So the reason there is a strike only now just for the holidays is because this is when the union wanted to do it. I'm all for their members taking the jobs they want and more power to them when they tell Amazon to screw off for real, but as to lousing up the holidays for the whole country just to maximize the attention on them, for that I hope they get coal in their stockings.

So you're fine with treating people like crap until it is inconvenient for you? That's kinda the point. The piss bottle problem is real. Nearly all of your Amazon packages, and the items in them, have been touched by someone who had to pee in a bottle and then pack your packages without washing your hands.

Remove the human element entirely, I don't think people understand how filthy and unsanitary your packages coming from Amazon are and it all comes down to their business practices. You wouldn't let someone touch your food without washing their hands, why would you let someone sell you children's toys that have made indirect contact with someone's private parts?

 

[brucek]

So you're fine with treating people like crap until it is inconvenient for you? That's kinda the point. The piss bottle problem is real. Nearly all of your Amazon packages, and the items in them, have been touched by someone who had to pee in a bottle and then pack your packages without washing your hands.

Remove the human element entirely, I don't think people understand how filthy and unsanitary your packages coming from Amazon are and it all comes down to their business practices. You wouldn't let someone touch your food without washing their hands, why would you let someone sell you children's toys that have made indirect contact with someone's private parts?

What does that have to do with timing a publicity stunt to grinch up everyone's holidays?

If any of these workers or unions are serious about not wanting these jobs as presently offered, they could have not taken the job, or have implemented a genuine strike when they first became aware of the problem - which was months or years ago.

But if all they're willing to do is take a few days off over the holidays then go back to the same jobs for the same pay and same conditions, this is a publicity stunt, not a genuine labor action.

And by the way, of however many millions of kids don't get their holiday presents because of this publicity stunt, a lot more of them are going to be the children of union members and other workers, vs "greedy executives" (who are probably the least affected in terms of being able to easily make other arrangements anyway.)

 

[RudyBob]

To heck with them and the horse they road in on.

 

[yRaz]

What does that have to do with timing a publicity stunt to grinch up everyone's holidays?

If any of these workers or unions are serious about not wanting these jobs as presently offered, they could have not taken the job, or have implemented a genuine strike when they first became aware of the problem - which was months or years ago.

But if all they're willing to do is take a few days off over the holidays then go back to the same jobs for the same pay and same conditions, this is a publicity stunt, not a genuine labor action.

And by the way, of however many millions of kids don't get their holiday presents because of this publicity stunt, a lot more of them are going to be the children of union members and other workers, vs "greedy executives" (who are probably the least affected in terms of being able to easily make other arrangements anyway.)

It's called a bargaining chip that forces the company to negotiate. Amazon has refused several times to negotiate and this is how unions get companies to come to the table.

 

[Endymio]

Welp, I guess Amazon will have to hire more robots, huh?
(Wait! Don't they already treat their workers like robots? Maybe the higher-up have forgotten the differences....)

In case they've forgotten, the robots are faster, more reliable, make fewer errors, don't steal, and never go on strike.

If your skill set involves simply moving a box from one elevation to another, a course in robot technical maintenance is well advised.

 

[yRaz]

In case they've forgotten, the robots are faster, more reliable, make fewer errors, don't steal, and never go on strike.

If your skill set involves simply moving a box from one elevation to another, a course in robot technical maintenance is well advised.

If amazon was able to replace their whole work force with robots they would have by now. People try to reduce warehouse jobs down to dehumanized or diminish the work that those people do.

The fact of the matter is that there is apparently enough skill involved that they can't replace all the humans with robots and that they need humans enough to the point where humans can shut down entire facilities during peak season

 

[PanGrns]

You ever watch the movie Minority Report with Tom Cruise? There is one scene where a car was built from start to finish with no humans involved. Pretty soon that's the way it's going to be. If the union thinks they're going to get brownie points by doing shock and awe at Christmas time, they're sadly mistaken. People are not going to just blame Amazon because they didn't get their packages, they'll blame the union as well. Most people don't care about company politics, all they care about is getting the goods they paid for. When a Christmas gift for some parent's 5 year old is not under the tree by Christmas time, the sparks are going to fly.

people after 2-3 months will just remember that amazon delay their package

 

[PanGrns]

In case they've forgotten, the robots are faster, more reliable, make fewer errors, don't steal, and never go on strike.

If your skill set involves simply moving a box from one elevation to another, a course in robot technical maintenance is well advised.

lets support the robot for their jobs and A.I. for our jobs to be all equal poor and hungry.

 

[Endymio]

lets support the robot for their jobs and A.I. for our jobs to be all equal poor and hungry.

We've already replaced all weaving jobs with robots, all heavy digging with powered machines, we don't harvest ears of corn and kernel of wheat by hand, one-by-one. Forging of metal is no longer done by a blacksmith's hammer, rickshaw drivers are no longer employed to cart people through the streets, and "accountants" no longer spend 95% of their time adding by hand lengthy columns of numbers.

In short, we've replaced essentially all of the jobs that existed in the world of 200 years ago -- and yet somehow, we're not all "poor and hungry". In fact, compared to the average person of then, we live like kings.

 

[yRaz]

We've already replaced all weaving jobs with robots, all heavy digging with powered machines, we don't harvest ears of corn and kernel of wheat by hand, one-by-one. Forging of metal is no longer done by a blacksmith's hammer, rickshaw drivers are no longer employed to cart people through the streets, and "accountants" no longer spend 95% of their time adding by hand lengthy columns of numbers.

In short, we've replaced essentially all of the jobs that existed in the world of 200 years ago -- and yet somehow, we're not all "poor and hungry". In fact, compared to the average person of then, we live like kings.

This, I can agree to. By the time that robots and AI take over all the jobs, we'll need to rework how the economy works. The world won't be recognizable to what we have today, for better or worse.

The idea that we're all going to suddenly wake up poor some day because the rowbits and AI took over is absurd.

Frankly, it's my opinion that robots and AI are going to create jobs that don't exist yet in the same way that machine operator wasn't a job when we still picked crops by hand.

 

[p51d007]

If Amazon is THAT BAD, then why do people continue to work there?
I'm sure some/most have "perks" that come with working there.
If not, QUIT.
But but but I'm in my 30-50's and this is the ONLY job I'm qualified for.
Well, you need to look in the mirror then.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

In case they've forgotten, the robots are faster, more reliable, make fewer errors, don't steal, and never go on strike.

If your skill set involves simply moving a box from one elevation to another, a course in robot technical maintenance is well advised.

To heck with them and the horse they road in on.

If Amazon is THAT BAD, then why do people continue to work there?
I'm sure some/most have "perks" that come with working there.
If not, QUIT.
But but but I'm in my 30-50's and this is the ONLY job I'm qualified for.
Well, you need to look in the mirror then.

Amazon is the biggest on retail and the worst with workers pay and compensation.

If Amazon is a bad employer today, they were probably one last week and last month and three months ago too. So the reason there is a strike only now just for the holidays is because this is when the union wanted to do it. I'm all for their members taking the jobs they want and more power to them when they tell Amazon to screw off for real, but as to lousing up the holidays for the whole country just to maximize the attention on them, for that I hope they get coal in their stockings.

I feel like y'all didnt even bother reading the article. Their union contract is up for renewal, and amazon is refusing to meet at the negotiating table. This is something they are LEGALLY bound to do, if the workers have voted to unionize.

Their refusal is breach of contract, and the workers are within their LEGAL rights to strike. This has nothing to do with amazon "being a bad place to work".

Worker's rights, what are those?!?

 

[RudyBob]

Worker's rights, what are those?!?

Owners rights. They create the job. If employees don't like the work they can quit and become something

 

[ActualViking]

If Amazon is a bad employer today, they were probably one last week and last month and three months ago too. So the reason there is a strike only now just for the holidays is because this is when the union wanted to do it. I'm all for their members taking the jobs they want and more power to them when they tell Amazon to screw off for real, but as to lousing up the holidays for the whole country just to maximize the attention on them, for that I hope they get coal in their stockings.

Frankly you should try and think less about your self and more about others. Getting started here at the holiday is a good time to start.

The workers strike now, because peak business time is when it puts the most pressure on Amazon. If they had done so during a less busy time, that would let Amazon have an easier time to ignore the strike.

 

[ActualViking]

This, I can agree to. By the time that robots and AI take over all the jobs, we'll need to rework how the economy works. The world won't be recognizable to what we have today, for better or worse.

The idea that we're all going to suddenly wake up poor some day because the rowbits and AI took over is absurd.

Frankly, it's my opinion that robots and AI are going to create jobs that don't exist yet in the same way that machine operator wasn't a job when we still picked crops by hand.

Sure AI and robots create new types of jobs, however that is not why there is robots and AI. The whole idea is just as with the machine which do the harvesting - it is to reduce labor costs by reducing the number of employees. There may be jobs for a few to maintain/run the robots and the AI, only thousands of jobs will be disappear just like it happened in the past.

It is just an effect of progress as it is called, except it is not all good and most likely AI is going to have so big an impact it will bring radical changes. Those of us with the jobs where we control the AI will be fine, but lots of other jobs will go away and it has already started.

 

[brucek]

Frankly you should try and think less about your self and more about others. Getting started here at the holiday is a good time to start.

The workers strike now, because peak business time is when it puts the most pressure on Amazon. If they had done so during a less busy time, that would let Amazon have an easier time to ignore the strike.

Yeah uh I'm thinking about 300,000,000+ Americans who had nothing to do with this. Maybe its these workers who took a job, stayed on a job, and didn't earlier strike a job, should be thinking about others before staging a publicity stunt today. Fwiw, I have no outstanding packages and this is not going to me affect me personally on either side.

As to this being an actual genuine negotiation strategy, I call BS. Even if both sides were willing and ready to make a change today, I don't see how the two sides could possibly complete a deal in time to make a difference. There's three shipping days left between now and Christmas.

If the workers stay on strike for a meaningful period and actually get anything changed, maybe I'll believe it was a genuine strike with weird timing. But I'm betting we'll see them all back right after the holidays with no change, making it nothing but a big middle finger to kids across the country.

 

[yRaz]

Yeah uh I'm thinking about 300,000,000+ Americans who had nothing to do with this. Maybe its these workers who took a job, stayed on a job, and didn't earlier strike a job, should be thinking about others before staging a publicity stunt today. Fwiw, I have no outstanding packages and this is not going to me affect me personally on either side.

As to this being an actual genuine negotiation strategy, I call BS. Even if both sides were willing and ready to make a change today, I don't see how the two sides could possibly complete a deal in time to make a difference. There's three shipping days left between now and Christmas.

If the workers stay on strike for a meaningful period and actually get anything changed, maybe I'll believe it was a genuine strike with weird timing. But I'm betting we'll see them all back right after the holidays with no change, making it nothing but a big middle finger to kids across the country.

Call BS all you want, explain to your kids what happened.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Owners rights. They create the job. If employees don't like the work they can quit and become something

We dont live in Gilded-Age America. It's not 1850. Workers have rights, and one of those is that if the workers have voted to unionize, then their employer needs to legally work with said union. They cannot just refuse to meet to negotiate when a contract is out.

 

[RudyBob]

We dont live in Gilded-Age America. It's not 1850. Workers have rights, and one of those is that if the workers have voted to unionize, then their employer needs to legally work with said union. They cannot just refuse to meet to negotiate when a contract is out.

They can and they did.