This morning at 6:00 a.m. thousands of Amazon workers organized into the Teamsters Union went away This increases the possibility that countless packages are at risk of not being delivered in time for Christmas.
Workers at seven Amazon facilities, including in Skokie, Illinois; New York City; Atlanta San Francisco; and four in Southern California are part of the strike, with Amazon employees at other facilities indicating they too could join the strike line. Although these employees are represented by the Teamsters Union, Amazon itself does not recognize this affiliation.
A spokeswoman for Amazon said of the strike:
“For more than a year, the Teamsters have intentionally misled the public by claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers.’ They are not doing that and this is another attempt to spread a false narrative,” Nantel said. “The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers into joining, which is illegal and the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union.”
Undeterred by Amazon’s stance, the Teamsters went to X and said Amazon had “forced this strike” by not recognizing union organizing and engaging in negotiations with workers.
🚨 BREAKING: The Teamsters Union has launched the largest strike against Amazon in US history. 🚨
Amazon forced this strike by refusing to follow the law and negotiate with the thousands of Amazon workers who organized with the Teamsters.
Now Amazon Teamsters in facilities… pic.twitter.com/9gRej7GANm
– Teamsters (@Teamsters) December 19, 2024
The full text of the Teamsters tweet:
🚨 BREAKING: The Teamsters Union has launched the largest strike against Amazon in US history. 🚨
Amazon forced this strike by refusing to follow the law and negotiate with the thousands of Amazon workers who organized with the Teamsters.
Now Amazon Teamsters will strike at facilities across the country, including primary pickets at hundreds of Amazon fulfillment centers across the country.
In the accompanying video, Amazon employees say they are “strong” and have “prepared for this day.” One worker noted, “Amazon is scared because they know they will have to use the power of the union to pay off their debts.”
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Teamsters Union President Sean O’Brien, who dated President-elect Donald Trump this year and spoke at the Republican National Convention in July, warned that the strike could lead to a blue Christmas for many Americans:
“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed. We have given Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do the right thing for our members. They ignored it,” Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien said in the release.
He continued: “These greedy executives had every chance to show decency and respect for the people who made their obscene profits possible. Instead, they pushed workers to the limit and now they are paying the price. This strike is at their expense.”
Trump has not yet publicly commented on the strike, but union leaders have heaped praise There’s a chance he could intervene in the final days and support the two sides reach some sort of consensus.
Donald Trump saving Christmas would certainly be a fitting end to 2024.
