Amazon workers at two New York City warehouses plan to strike after the company missed a December 15 deadline to engage in union contract negotiations.
Employees at the JFK8 facility on Staten Island and the DBK4 depot in Queens overwhelmingly authorized the strike, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). The union accuses Amazon of failing to recognize their union and address concerns over low wages and unsafe working conditions.
JFK8 holds significance as the first Amazon warehouse in the U.S. to unionize, with its workers organizing under the Amazon Labor Union (ALU). In June, the ALU partnered with the Teamsters, forming ALU-IBT Local 1, which represents approximately 5,500 workers at JFK8. Connor Spence, the union president, emphasized the workers’ determination, stating, “Our members are ready to do whatever it takes to get a contract. While Amazon continues to disrespect us by refusing to listen to our concerns, our movement is only growing stronger.”
At DBK4, Amazon’s largest delivery station in NYC, workers also voted almost unanimously to authorize a strike. The unrest extends beyond New York; workers at DIL7, a delivery depot in Skokie, Illinois, similarly voted to strike. Riley Holzworth, a worker at DIL7, criticized Amazon’s pay practices, saying, “Amazon is one of the biggest companies on Earth, but we are struggling to pay our bills.”
Amazon Pushes Back Against Union Gains
Amazon has challenged the union election results at JFK8, appealing a National Labor Relations Board ruling that certified the union. Workers claim these legal challenges are intended to delay contract talks. An Amazon spokesperson, Eileen Hards, accused the Teamsters of spreading misinformation and employing illegal tactics to coerce workers, allegations that are the subject of ongoing legal disputes, ABC News reports.
The strike authorization coincides with broader scrutiny of Amazon’s labor practices. A recent report from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions highlighted internal research showing high injury rates at Amazon warehouses, suggesting the company has neglected worker safety.
With mounting pressure from unions and lawmakers, Amazon faces growing challenges to its labor policies.
