Amazon delivery drivers and Starbucks baristas have initiated strikes in several cities across the United States, aiming to compel both corporations to acknowledge their unionized status or to fulfill demands for a first labor contract.
The strikes, which commenced on Thursday and Friday, follow a series of recent confrontations between organized labor and corporate giants. Major labor unions successfully negotiated significant concessions from employers after strikes by workers in various sectors, including Boeing factory workers, dockworkers on the East and Gulf coasts, video game performers, and employees from hotels and casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
Despite these victories, employees at Starbucks and Amazon, along with other well-known brands, continue to struggle in securing their initial contracts. Amazon has consistently refused to recognize the unionization efforts of its drivers and warehouse workers, many of whom have already voted for union representation—though the influential Teamsters union claims to represent them. Meanwhile, Starbucks has historically opposed union organizing but has recently agreed to negotiate a labor contract by the end of the year.
The timing of the strikes is particularly significant. Union actions during the economically bustling holiday season can enhance leverage during negotiations and rally support from other workers and empathetic consumers. The rising wave of organizing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to the precarious situations of frontline workers and highlighted economic inequality among wage-earners in America.
Employees at bookstores and other venues where unions have been scarce have successfully championed campaigns for union representation at establishments like Apple, Trader Joe’s, and REI. However, translating these organizational successes into binding contracts remains a daunting task. At both Amazon and Starbucks, workers have yet to finalize agreements with the Seattle-based e-commerce and coffee giants, which had remained non-unionized prior to the pandemic.
John Logan, who heads the labor and employment studies department at San Francisco State University, expressed that workers at Amazon and Starbucks are eager to see progress before an anticipated Republican majority at the National Labor Relations Board could be appointed in the new administration, which may not be as supportive of union endeavors.
Logan emphasized, “The unions want to make these disputes public and bring political pressures on the companies. If these disputes continue into next year and largely unfold through the labor board and legal channels, the unions and workers are likely to face setbacks. This could indeed be a crucial opportunity to apply public pressure on these corporations before the new administration takes over.”
Despite this uncertainty, there are indications that the incoming administration might take a more favorable stance toward labor unions than before. Last month, former President Trump appointed Oregon Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who enjoys strong support from labor groups, including the Teamsters, to lead the Department of Labor.
Regarding the specific actions from Teamsters at Amazon, workers are striking at various delivery stations in places such as Southern California, San Francisco, New York City, Atlanta, and Skokie, Illinois. This shift comes after the company failed to respond to a contract negotiation deadline set by the union. On Saturday night, Teamsters indicated that workers would also strike at a significant New York warehouse, which had previously voted to unionize under the Amazon Labor Union and opted to affiliate with the Teamsters subsequently.
The Teamsters are advocating for better wages, improved benefits, and safer working environments for Amazon employees, many of whom face economic instability despite working for a trillion-dollar corporation. The union has yet to provide specific numbers regarding the striking delivery drivers or warehouse employees.
The organization primarily focuses on delivery drivers, which Amazon contends are not its employees, as they are directly employed by independent contractors hired for package delivery. This arrangement provides Amazon with a layer of protection against unionization in the transportation and trucking sector, where the Teamsters are dominant. Nevertheless, the union argues that these drivers, identifiable by their standard uniforms while driving similarly styled vehicles, should be classified as Amazon employees.
In response, Amazon has accused the union of fabricating claims about the workforce it claims to represent, while highlighting its starting pay of $22 per hour for warehouse and transportation employees, along with recent pay increases for subcontracted delivery drivers.
In September, with a more labor-friendly stance under President Biden, the NLRB confirmed that these drivers should be considered joint employees of Amazon and accused the company of unlawfully neglecting to negotiate a contract for drivers at a California delivery hub. The Teamsters asserted they also represent Amazon warehouse workers, which includes thousands employed at a major fulfillment center in New York who voted for representation by the Amazon Labor Union.
Despite Amazon’s objections to the results of the 2022 warehouse elections, which alleged interference by the Amazon Labor Union and the federal labor board, a regional NLRB director has issued a complaint accusing Amazon of violating labor laws by refusing to engage in bargaining. Furthermore, Amazon is presently contesting the NLRB’s constitutional validity in federal court, sharing this stance with Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
In contrast to Amazon, negotiations for a union contract have been in progress at Starbucks. However, the union representing Starbucks workers, Workers United, stated that the company has not fulfilled its promise made in February to establish a labor agreement this year. The union also seeks resolution to ongoing legal matters, such as numerous unfair labor practice charges that workers have submitted to the National Labor Relations Board, which has also dealt with many allegations against Amazon.
The strikes began on Friday in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle, where Workers United criticized Starbucks for proposing an economic package that lacked immediate wage increases for unionized baristas, alongside a modest future pay raise. The action spread to include locations in Denver, Pittsburgh, and Columbus, Ohio, with reports of picket lines extending to Brooklyn, Long Island, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh.
Union leadership has remarked on the significant impact of the strikes, claiming that scores of Starbucks locations are now taking part. “We felt prepared to finalize the foundational framework this year, but Starbucks turned away,” said Lynne Fox, president of Workers United. “Given the company’s narrative of valuing its partners, we cannot accept a proposal that offers no immediate investment in barista wages nor a resolution on numerous unfair labor complaints.”
Starbucks responded that Workers United prematurely ended a bargaining session, asserting that it already offers compensation and benefits totaling $30 per hour for baristas working a minimum of 20 hours weekly. This isn’t the first instance of Starbucks employees striking, as workers previously walked out on two occasions last year; union leaders forecast that these recent strikes could expand to hundreds of stores across the nation by Christmas Eve.
Patricia Campos-Medina from Cornell University’s Worker Institute anticipates further union initiatives before the new administration takes office. She believes that public responses to Trump’s policy decisions will give insights into his commitments to the working class.
