Pissed off employees at Amazon’s largest facility in Staten Island walked out on the job Saturday morning, becoming a member of a nationwide strike towards the retail big simply days earlier than Christmas.
Staff from the JFK8 Success Middle, which employs a workers of about 5,500, joined the picket strains in solidarity with 1000’s of staff from warehouses throughout the nation, together with one different in New York Metropolis, the Teamsters Union introduced.
Demonstrators are demanding greater wages, higher advantages and improved working situations.
“I am thrilled to be part of this fight,” stated Valerie Strapoli, a employee on the Bloomfield location, stated.
“Amazon has shoved us around for so long, but we have the momentum now.”
The Teamsters union stated the strike, which entered its third day Saturday, got here after Amazon ignored a Dec. 15 deadline to barter new contracts for workers.
The union representing Staten Island’s employees introduced Friday night time that it will be part of the “historic” strike at midnight.
“Amazon executives are cowards hiding behind lies, threats, and intimidation to dodge their responsibilities to workers and the public,” Teamsters common president Sean M. O’Brien stated in a press release.
“It takes real courage to stand up to a corporate bully and Amazon Teamsters are doing just that.”
Amazon warehouse employees who voted to unionize in 2022 have tried to get the corporate to interact in contract negotiations since final 12 months, main Teamsters to file unfair labor expenses towards the corporate on the Nationwide Labor Relations Board, The Related Press reported.
Amazon refused to discount on a contract, with the corporate submitting a lawsuit difficult the constitutionality of the labor board, which licensed the Amazon Labor Union election, of tainting the vote.
The retailer now claims these on strike are “outsiders,” accusing the Teamsters of illegally coercing employees to hitch the union and disputing the “thousands” of staff and drivers the union claims to characterize.
“What you see here are almost entirely outsiders – not Amazon employees or partners – and the suggestion otherwise is just another lie from the Teamsters,” an organization spokesperson stated in a press release.
“We appreciate all our team’s great work to serve their customers and communities, and are continuing to focus on getting customers their holiday orders.”
Teamsters declare to characterize 10,000 Amazon employees, a mere sliver of the 1.5 million folks the corporate employs in its warehouses and company workplaces.
Demonstrators on Staten Island acquired a lift of help from New York Legal professional Normal Letitia James who joined the picket line Saturday morning.
“Amazon workers deserve higher wages and safe working conditions,” she stated in a put up on X.
“I was proud to stand with the @amazonlabor workers on strike on Staten Island today to fight for their rights.”
Different areas protesting the Jeff Bezos-led firm embody warehouses in Queens, Atlanta, California, and Skokie, In poor health.
Amazon says it doesn’t count on the strike to impression its operations, however a walkout – particularly one which lasts many days – may delay shipments in some metro areas.
Teamsters haven’t indicated how lengthy they are going to be on strike.
