Strike
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Nearly a week before Christmas, workers at four Amazon warehouses located in Southern California may go on strike on claims the corporate giant refuses to recognize their union and negotiate fair contracts, officials announced Tuesday.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing 1.3 million workers across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, announced their members in Palmdale, Victorville, Industry and San Bernardino voted to authorize strikes — a move that came after Amazon ignored a Sunday deadline to come to the bargaining table, according to the union.
“The corporate elitists who run Amazon are leaving workers with no choice,” Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said in a statement.
“Greedy executives are pushing thousands of hardworking Americans to the brink,” he continued. “Amazon rakes in more money than anybody, they subject workers to injury and abuse at every turn, and they illegally claim not to be the rightful employer of nearly half their workforce.”
Eileen Hards of Amazon said in a statement that for more than a year, Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public — claiming they represent “thousands of Amazon employees and drivers” when they don’t.
“The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union,” Hards said.
The SoCal workers are joining employees at sites located in Illinois and New York City, who also recently authorized similar strikes. Operations at the following Amazon facilities in California would be affected:
— DFX4 located at 15272 Bear Valley Road, Victorville;
— DAX5 located at 15930 Valley Blvd., Industry;
— DAX8 located at 600 W. Technology Drive, Palmdale; and
— KSBD air hub located at the San Bernardino International Airport
Workers represented by Teamsters are aiming to secure an increase in wages, improved benefits and working conditions, according to the union.
“It’s past time that we fight for the pay and benefits we deserve,” Raymond Scarborough, a driver who operates for the Amazon warehouse located in Victorville, said in a statement. “Amazon isn’t going to bully us out of demanding our rights.”
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