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Liz Bentley Associates President Liz Bentley joined “Fox & Friends First” to discuss her reaction to the strikes, how it could affect holiday deliveries and how Walmart is fighting theft.
Thousands of Amazon workers organized under the Teamsters union Strike at 6 am on Thursday after the company’s “repeated refusal to comply with the law and to negotiate”.
Amazon Teamsters at seven facilities in Skokie, Illinois; New York City, Atlanta, San Francisco and Southern California are participating in the “largest strike” against the $1 trillion company in U.S. history, the union said in a press release . Workers from other facilities are willing to join.
Although Teamsters says it represents about 10,000 people at 10 Amazon facilities in the US, the company does not recognize workers’ union affiliation.
Amazon says the Teamsters union is “intentionally (misleading) the public” because they do not represent Amazon employees and drivers, company spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said in a statement to Fox Business.
AMAZON WORKERS PLAN TO STRIKE BETWEEN BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY
Amazon workers affiliated with the Teamsters union are walking off the job at seven facilities across the country in a historic strike against the trillion-dollar company. (Nathan Stirk/Getty Images/Getty Images)
“For more than a year, the Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public, claiming they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers.’ They don’t, and this is yet another attempt to push a false narrative,” Nantel said. . “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 is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union”.
Nantel also said the company “doesn’t expect any impact on our operations”.
Amazon warehouse workers and drivers without collective bargaining agreements can legally respect picket lines by withholding their jobs, the Teamsters union said. (REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/Reuters Photos)
Teamsters spokeswoman Kara Deniz responded to Amazon’s statement, saying the company is “making light of the American public with its false narratives.”
“The truth is that over 20 bargaining units, representing nearly 9,000 employees, have successfully organized because for many years the company has exploited and abused workers, and these workers are fed up and fighting back,” he said. sea
“No matter how great Amazon’s corporate PR machine is, they can’t fool the American public into believing that drivers who deliver Amazon packages in Amazon-branded vans don’t really work for Amazon.” continued Deniz. “No one believes this nonsense. Amazon needs to stop avoiding its legal obligation to these workers and come to the bargaining table now.”
The strike comes after Teamsters say Amazon ignored the union’s Dec. 15 deadline to negotiate new contracts for higher wages, better benefits and safer working conditions.
“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed. We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and make it right for our members. They ignored it,” he said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien at the release.
He continued: “These greedy managers had every opportunity to show decency and respect for the people who make their obscene profits possible. Instead, they pushed workers to the limit and are now paying the price. This strike belongs to them “
Amazon fulfillment centers Across the country there will be primary picket lines established by local unions, the Teamsters said, and warehouse workers and drivers without collective agreements will be able to legally respect them by withholding their jobs.
“Amazon is one of the largest and richest corporations in the world,” said Gabriel Irizarry, DIL7 driver in Skokie, Illinois. “They talk a lot about taking care of their workers, but when it comes down to it, Amazon doesn’t respect us or our right to negotiate for better working conditions and wages. We can’t even afford to pay our bills.” .
Amazon said team members are already offered a competitive salary, immediate health benefits, a 401k match and opportunities for career growth, adding that the company’s average base wage was increased to $22 an hour in September.
Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said Amazon shoppers can blame the company’s “greed” if holiday shopping is affected by the strike that is set to begin Thursday morning. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images)
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In an X post Wednesday night, the Teamsters said their Amazon workers have run out of patience with the company and are “preparing to strike” to win the contract they deserve.
“What we’re doing is historic,” said Leah Pensler, a warehouse worker at DCK6 in San Francisco. “We are fighting a brutal campaign against unions and we will win.”
