Amazon workers continue strike four days from Christmas

Workers at an NYC facility are the latest to strike
Strikes are occurring in California, Georgia and Illinois
Amazon says it won’t affect deliveries before Christmas

Strikes continue to ripple across states like California, Georgia, and Illinois, with workers at a New York City facility becoming the latest to walk out during the critical holiday season. This poses a significant challenge for Amazon as it strives to meet Christmas delivery deadlines.

The NYC workers, affiliated with the Teamsters union, are pushing for improved pay and safer working conditions. These subcontracted drivers argue they deserve pay comparable to USPS or UPS drivers. Currently, they earn about $22 an hour, roughly half of what those other workers make.

“We deserve to be paid fairly for the value we bring,” one protester shared with NewsNation. “$20 an hour does not reflect our worth.”

The Teamsters have been trying to bring Amazon to the negotiating table since last year, after successfully unionizing a group of California delivery drivers working under a contractor. However, Amazon, which claims it does not directly employ these workers, has consistently refused to engage, leading the union to file unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board.

Amazon continues to deny recognition of the union, classifying the drivers as subcontractors.

With the holiday season increasing the demand for delivery drivers, the striking workers are banking on the potential for delayed packages to pressure Amazon into negotiations. Despite the union’s December 15 deadline being ignored, they hope their efforts will drive change.

For its part, Amazon insists that the strikes won’t impact its ability to deliver packages on time, ensuring customers can still expect their orders by Christmas.

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