A second Amazon facility in New York City saw workers walk off the job and join the growing strike to pressure the e-commerce company to meet at the bargaining table and reach an eventual labor agreement.
Tens of thousands of workers have gone on strike in recent days during what is considered to be one of the busiest online shopping and shipping seasons of the year.
Striking Facilities
At midnight, the union representing Staten Island’s JFK8 warehouse declared its members on strike and adding another 5,500 workers to expanding labor movement. The other facilities on strike include facilities in Queens, New York, Atlanta, Georgia, Skokie, Illinois, San Francisco, and three other locations in Southern California.
Support from New York Attorney General
Striking workers on Staten Island received a boost of support on Saturday from the New York attorney general.
“Amazon workers deserve higher wages and safe working conditions,” Attorney General Letitia James wrote on Twitter. “I was proud to stand with the @amazonlabor workers on strike on Staten Island today to fight for their rights.”
What the Workers Want
The striking workers are fighting for higher wages, better benefits, and safer work conditions. The Teamsters have tried to get Amazon to come to the negotiating table since last year, when the labor organization first said it had unionized a group of delivery drivers in California who work for a contractor.
What About Holiday Deliveries?
Amazon says it doesn’t expect the strike to impact its operations, but a walkout — especially one that lasts many days — could delay shipments in some metro areas. An Amazon spokesperson said Thursday that the company intentionally builds its sites close to where customers are, schedules shipping windows and works with other large carriers, such as UPS, to deliver products.
Conclusion
The strike by Amazon workers is a significant event in the labor movement, with tens of thousands of workers participating in the walkout. The workers are fighting for higher wages, better benefits, and safer work conditions, and have received support from the New York attorney general. The strike is expected to continue until Amazon agrees to meet at the bargaining table and reach a labor agreement.
FAQs
Q: How many workers are participating in the strike?
A: The Teamsters say they represent nearly 10,000 workers at 10 Amazon facilities, but the exact number of participating workers is not publicly known.
Q: How long will the strike last?
A: The union hasn’t said how long the strike will last, but Vinnie Perrone, the president of a local Teamsters union in metro New York, said Thursday that the walkout will continue "as long as it takes."
Q: Will the strike impact holiday deliveries?
A: Amazon says it doesn’t expect the strike to impact its operations, but a walkout — especially one that lasts many days — could delay shipments in some metro areas.
