• Metascholar News Portal
• Business
• December 20, 2024
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• 2 minutes Read

Teamsters Union Stages Massive Strike Against Amazon Ahead of Christmas

One of America’s most influential labor unions, the Teamsters, has launched a major protest against Amazon, targeting the tech giant during its busiest holiday season. Delivery drivers at seven Amazon facilities across the U.S. walked off the job on Thursday after the company allegedly refused to negotiate a labor contract with the union. The Teamsters union described the protest as the “largest strike” in Amazon’s history, with demonstrations taking place at “hundreds” of the company’s locations nationwide. In addition, members of the United Services Union (ver.di) in Germany joined the action, signaling international solidarity. Amazon, which employs approximately 800,000 people in its U.S. delivery network, maintained that its services would remain unaffected. “What you see here are almost entirely outsiders not Amazon employees or partners and the suggestion otherwise is just another lie from the Teamsters,” the company said in a statement. The exact number of participants remains unclear, though the Teamsters reported that thousands of Amazon workers took part. The union claims to represent nearly 10,000 Amazon employees at about 10 facilities, with significant recruitment efforts in recent months. The protest comes amid accusations that Amazon has failed to fulfill its legal obligation to negotiate collectively on pay and working conditions. Sean O’Brien, the Teamsters’ general president, criticized Amazon’s treatment of its workforce, stating, “They’ve pushed workers to the limit, and now they’re paying the price. This strike is on them. If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed.”