Amazon employees connected to the Teamsters union initiated a strike at seven delivery hubs just days before Christmas.
The Teamsters announced that these workers had recently voted in favor of striking and took to the picket lines on Thursday after Amazon failed to meet a contractual negotiation deadline set by the union.
Despite the strike, Amazon claims it does not anticipate disruptions to holiday shipments.
Each delivery station employs several hundred workers, with the Teamsters focusing their efforts primarily on organizing delivery drivers who work for contractors responsible for delivering packages for Amazon.
However, the company has consistently refused to negotiate, stating that it does not recognize the contractors’ drivers as its employees.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters also mentions that they represent some workers in Amazon warehouses.

In terms of the strike locations, it is taking place at three delivery hubs situated in Southern California, along with one hub each in San Francisco, New York City, Atlanta, Georgia, and Skokie, Illinois, as confirmed by the union’s announcement.
Although the union has not disclosed the number of participants in the strike or its anticipated duration, Vinnie Perrone, president of a local Teamsters union in the New York metro area, stated that the walkout will persist as long as necessary.
The Teamsters claim to represent around 10,000 Amazon workers across ten facilities and indicate that employees at more locations are ready to join the cause.
Workers at a major air hub in California and those at a warehouse in New York that unionized in 2022 with the emerging Amazon Labor Union, now associated with the Teamsters, have also authorized strikes.
Additionally, local unions within the Teamsters are establishing picket lines at various Amazon warehouses.
In response, an Amazon spokesperson characterized the striking workers as “almost entirely outsiders,” denying that they are Amazon employees or partners, and dismissed such claims as fabrications from the Teamsters.

The workers involved in the strike are advocating for higher compensation, improved benefits, and safer working environments.
The Teamsters have been urging Amazon to enter into negotiations since last year, when they announced the unionization of a group of delivery drivers in California working for a contractor.
Following Amazon’s refusal to recognize the drivers as employees, the union filed unfair labor practices charges against the company to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Subsequently, the NLRB classified Amazon as a “joint employer” of the contracted drivers in August, leading the company to increase hourly wages for drivers the following month amid increasing pressure.
Warehouse workers in Staten Island, New York, who voted to unionize, have also called for contract negotiations, but Amazon has contested the election’s validity and refused to engage in bargaining.
Amazon has even challenged the NLRB’s authority in court, alleging that the vote was compromised.
Organizers involved in the union efforts have speculated that Amazon would remain unyielding until workers initiated strikes.

As for the impact on holiday deliveries, Amazon maintains that it does not expect the strike to affect its operations significantly.
However, a lengthy walkout could result in delays of shipments in certain metropolitan areas.
A spokesperson for Amazon mentioned that the company is strategically located near customers, schedules its shipping effectively, and collaborates with major carriers like UPS for deliveries.
“We believe in the resilience of our network and have contingency plans in place to reduce any potential operational impact or associated costs,” the spokesperson added.