Thousands of Amazon workers in the United States walked off the job early on Thursday to pressure the company into union contract negotiations, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union, as reported by German news agency dpa.
Teamsters represents 10,000 workers across 10 Amazon facilities. The move is seen as significant given the ongoing challenges with labour organisation at major technology firms.
"What we're doing is historic," said Leah Pensler, a warehouse worker at Amazon's DCK6 facility in San Francisco in a press release. "We are fighting against a strong union-busting campaign, and we are going to win."
The decision to strike amid the peak holiday shopping season comes after Amazon failed to meet the union's December 15 deadline to initiate negotiations regarding new contracts for higher wages and improved working conditions.
Warehouse workers at Amazon facilities in Skokie, Illinois; New York City, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Southern California have joined the battle against the technology giant with more locations expected to join soon.
"If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon's uncontrolled greed. We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it," Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien said.
"These wealth-focused executives had every chance to show decency and respect for the people who make their substantial profits possible. Instead, they've pushed workers to the limit and now they're paying the price. This strike is on them," O'Brien continued.
Responding to the strike, the Seattle-based company claimed that its employees already enjoy competitive pay, immediate health benefits, and career growth opportunities.
"For more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to deliberately misinform the public - claiming that they represent 'thousands of Amazon employees and drivers'. They don't, and this is another attempt to push a misleading narrative," company spokesperson Kelly Nantel told Fox Business.
The company emphasised that Teamsters do not represent any Amazon employees as the National Labour Relations Board has certified only one unionised Amazon facility in Staten Island, New York, which has not yet gone on strike, despite having authorised one.
"The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to forcefully persuade Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labour practice charges against the union," Nantel added.