NEW YORK — The Teamsters union is launching a nationwide strike against Amazon, including in Maspeth, Queens.
The Teamsters are calling it the largest strike against Amazon in U.S. history, and it is expected to begin at 6 a.m. Thursday. In addition to New York City, workers will join picket lines in Atlanta, Southern CaliforniaSan Francisco and Illinois.
In a video announcement released Wednesday evening, workers expressed their frustration.
“The fact that we’re ready to strike means we’re fed up, and Amazon is clearly ignoring us and we want to be heard,” one worker says in the video.
“It’s really exciting. We’re taking steps to get better conditions, better benefits, better wages,” another worker says in the video.
The union says nearly 10,000 employees have joined forces with the Teamsters and will join the picket line after Amazon ignored the deadline to come to the table and negotiate, further claiming that the $2 trillion company dollars does not pay its employees enough to make ends meet.
In the midst of the holiday season, many are wondering what this means for their packages currently in transit.
The Teamsters president said, “If your package is delayed over the holidays, you can blame it on Amazon’s insatiable greed. »
Amazon says Teamsters are misleading the public
An Amazon spokesperson says the Teamsters are misleading the public and do not represent any Amazon employees, despite all claims.
“The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers into joining them, which is illegal and the subject of multiple unfair labor practice charges against the union” , said the spokesperson. in a statement.
An Amazon representative said he did not expect operations to be affected.
Alecia Reid
