US Amazon Warehouse Workers Strike Ahead of Holiday Rush

Teamsters President Sean M. O’Brien said, “These greedy executives had every opportunity to show decency and respect for the people who made their obscene profits possible.” said in a public statement. “Instead, their employees overreached and are now paying the price.” This holiday belongs to them.”

It’s been a record year for Amazon. According to the company’s 3rd quarter earnings report, profit between July and September It has increased by 55 percent in 2024 compared to the same period last year. a press release released with the earnings report, Amazon president and CEO Andy Jassy said the company is “excited about what we have in store for customers” for the holiday season. Report expected net sales will be between $181.5 billion and $188.5 billion in the fourth quarter.

“We have not experienced any impact on our operations from the strikes,” Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said. “We appreciate the great work our team does to serve their customers and communities, and we remain focused on getting customers’ holiday orders.” Nantel also accused the Teamsters of harassing and intimidating Amazon workers.

At DBK4 in Queens, New York, hundreds of Amazon workers marched on the sidewalk outside the parking lot exit, sometimes verbally confronting delivery drivers who crossed the picket line. Many delivery vans honked their horns in unison as they waited in line to pull out of the parking lot. Some protesting workers held up signs reading “Amazon obeys the law.” Among the marchers were people carrying signs representing the New York State Nurses Association and City University of New York (CUNY) students in a show of solidarity.

Meanwhile, officers from the New York Police Department stood on the street, sometimes yelling at and pushing workers who came off the sidewalk. Just after 9 a.m. ET, the NYPD arrested a delivery driver who exited his delivery van outside the parking lot and attempted to join the strikers. At around 9:50 a.m., the NYPD announced over the loudspeaker that any employee standing on the road would be arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. A short time later, the NYPD arrested the Teamsters organizer, although it is unclear if they were on the street. Eventually, police set up barricades outside the garage and began personally organizing delivery vans with non-striking workers to prevent damage to Amazon.