Thousands of Amazon warehouse and delivery workers have approved going on strike this week, threatening the retail giant’s deliveries during the holiday season.
The strike threat began in New York, where Amazon’s only unionized warehouse, JFK8, called for a work stoppage if the company did not come to the bargaining table by Dec. 15.
“We aren’t asking for much,” JFK8 worker James Saccardo said in a statement. “We just want what everyone else in America wants — to do our jobs and get paid enough to take care of ourselves and our families. And Amazon isn’t letting us do that.”
The strike authorization at JFK8 was quickly followed by a strike threat at Amazon’s DBK4 in New York, with the Teamsters Union calling on Amazon to recognize its union and bargain for a contract.
The strike threat spread, with one facility outside of Chicago and two others outside of Atlanta calling for a work stoppage.
The Illinois delivery facility, located in Skokie, staged a walkout on Monday. Additionally, the Teamsters Union has said it is working with organizers at 10 Amazon facilities in California, Illinois, New York and Georgia.
The labor disruptions could hurt Amazon’s business in the coming days as customers rush to finish last-minute holiday shopping. While Amazon has not commented on the recent strike threats, the company has been able to weather work stoppages even during its busiest seasons in the past.
Earlier this year, Amazon warehouse and delivery workers staged strikes around the world during Prime Day, one of the company’s busiest days, to protest poor wages and working conditions. Still, Amazon reported no major disruptions in service and raked in just over $14 billion during Prime Day.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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