Amazon Workers Strike at Multiple Delivery Hubs Ahead of Christmas

Amazon workers affiliated with the Teamsters union have launched a strike at seven delivery hubs across the U.S. just days before Christmas. The workers, who authorized the strike in recent days, began picketing on Thursday after Amazon missed a deadline for contract negotiations set by the union.

The strike is primarily affecting delivery drivers employed by contractors that handle package deliveries for Amazon. The company, however, insists that the strike will not disrupt holiday shipments and claims the workers are “almost entirely outsiders” and not Amazon employees.

Where Are the Strikes Happening?

The strikes are taking place at delivery hubs in Southern California, San Francisco, New York City, Atlanta, Georgia, and Skokie, Illinois. While the union has not disclosed how many workers are involved, it has indicated that more locations are prepared to join the action. Workers at a California air hub and an Amazon warehouse in New York have also authorized strikes.

What Are the Workers Demanding?

The striking workers are pushing for higher wages, improved benefits, and safer working conditions. The Teamsters have been attempting to get Amazon to the negotiating table since last year, after the union organized delivery drivers in California. Amazon has repeatedly refused, arguing that the drivers are not its employees.

In August, federal labor prosecutors classified Amazon as a “joint employer” of the subcontracted drivers. In response, the company increased hourly pay for the drivers, but tensions remain high. Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island, New York, who voted to unionize in 2022, are also pressing for contract negotiations, but Amazon has yet to engage.

The union says the strikes will continue “as long as it takes,” as they seek to secure better conditions for workers across the country.