How workplace accidents sparked the holiday strike against Amazon

Thousands of warehouse and delivery workers are taking part in the largest strike against Amazon in US history. The aim of the strikers at several facilities is to draw attention to unfair labor practices (UPLs), such as Amazon’s industry-leading injury rates, and force the e-commerce giant to come to the bargaining table.

The timing of the strike is strategic for warehouse workers and delivery drivers unionizing with the Teamsters. During the holidays or “peak season,” Amazon package volumes increase significantly, as do workplace accidents.

Gabriel Irizarry, a driver at DIL7 in Skokie, Illinois, explained, “They talk a lot about taking care of their workers, but when it comes down to it, Amazon doesn’t respect us and our right to negotiate for better working wages.” . We can’t even afford to pay our bills.”

Teamsters general president Sean M. O’Brien noted, “If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed.” We have given Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and to do the right thing for our members. They ignored it.”

Teamsters vs. Amazon

Amazon workers account for 36 percent of all warehouse employees in the U.S., but over 53 percent of warehouse accidents. Amazon employs over 700,000 people, making it the largest warehouse employer in the country. The Teamsters, with more than 1.3 million members, represents nearly 10,000 Amazon employees across 10 facilities and has made organizing Amazon a priority.

Amazon generated over $36.9 billion in profits in 2023, and the company’s current market capitalization is over $2.39 trillion, an amount greater than the GDP of all but seven countries. According to Forbes, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the second richest person in the world with a net worth of around $238.6 billion. Current CEO Andy Jassy received nearly $30 million in total compensation in 2023 and has received over $300 million in total compensation as of 2021.

Amazon strongly opposes union organizing efforts and uses tactics such as postponing elections or having employees attend meetings with spectators. Amazon recently spent over $17 million on union avoidance consultants, some of whom even hired them directly as managers.

Teamsters have been organizing Amazon workers in the U.S. for a year, but the most recent surge in unionization dates back to 2020 and 2021 after workers and RWDSU (Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union) attempted to organize a facility in Alabama . This campaign is still ongoing. Worker-led organizing at Amazon gained momentum after former Amazon boss Chris Smalls was fired early in the pandemic after raising concerns about unsafe working conditions. Workers at his facility, JFK8 in Staten Island, organized to form the Amazon Labor Union. They recently joined the Teamsters and are participating in the strike.

Notable Amazon facilities include JFK8 and DBK4 in New York City, DGT8 in Atlanta, DFX4, DAX5 and DAX8 in Southern California, DCK6 in San Francisco, DIL7 in Skokie, Illinois, and the KSBD air hub in San Bernardino. KSBD is Amazon’s largest air hub on the West Coast. More than 1,000 workers at the facility have unionized with the Teamsters.

“We don’t want to be on the picket line this close to the holidays, but Amazon has left us no choice,” said Ayden Huett, an employee at KSBD. “Amazon has shown time and time again that if we don’t fight, they won’t improve their dealings with us.”

According to Jake Wilson, professor of sociology at California State University, Long Beach and co-editor of The cost of free shipping“The Teamsters strike at Amazon delivery stations represents a critical escalation in challenging Amazon’s power over workers.” Amazon strategically built this massive delivery infrastructure on the backs of hundreds of thousands of non-union, misclassified, contracted delivery service partners (DSPs) built. The Teamsters have rightly targeted Amazon’s delivery shortages to build momentum and force Amazon to accept responsibility for being a joint employer responsible for the safety and working conditions of these workers.”

Amazon’s corporate culture of “systemic security deficiencies”

A recent report from the Center for Urban Economic Development at the University of Illinois, Chicago found that Amazon workers have by far the highest injury rate in their sector:

• 41% of workers say they have been injured while working in an Amazon warehouse.
• 51% of employees who have been with the company for more than three years were injured.
• 69% had to take unpaid time off due to pain or exhaustion.
• 52% feel burned out by their work at Amazon.
• 41% always/most of the time feel pressure to work faster.

A July report from the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee found that injury rates skyrocket during Prime Day and the holiday season, equating to more than 10 injuries per 100 workers per year, which is the industry average. Amazon’s overall injury rate is 45 injuries per 100 full-time employees. So if every day of the year was Prime Day or a holiday, almost half of Amazon’s workforce would be injured.

A recent Senate committee investigation found that Amazon has a “culture obsessed with speed and productivity… resulting in systemic safety deficiencies and high injury rates.” Amazon’s injury rate also has a “significant and growing impact on the average injury rate for the entire warehouse sector.” .

The Senate committee report concluded:

• Amazon manipulates its workplace accident data to portray its warehouses as safer than they actually are.
• Amazon imposes speed and productivity requirements on its employees, commonly referred to as “tariffs.” These demands force workers to move at an extremely fast and often dangerous pace. To ensure compliance, Amazon closely monitors worker movements during each shift. When workers can’t keep up, Amazon uses automated systems to initiate disciplinary action. These disciplinary actions increase in severity and ultimately lead to termination.
• Amazon forces workers to move in unsafe ways and repeat the same movements hundreds and thousands of times per shift, leading to extremely high rates of musculoskeletal disorders.
• Although Amazon has security procedures in place, the rates charged by the company make it nearly impossible to comply with these procedures.
• Amazon’s failure to ensure safe work environments results in debilitating injuries.
• Amazon refuses to implement injury-reducing changes due to concerns that these changes could impact productivity.
• Amazon actively discourages injured workers from seeking outside medical care.
• Workers who require short-term or permanent workplace accommodations due to work-related injuries and disabilities face significant challenges in obtaining appropriate accommodations.
• Amazon is laying off workers who were injured in the company’s warehouses and are on approved sick leave.
• Amazon is reducing the number of violations it records for federal regulators.

Striking for security

The strikers realize that organizing with the Teamsters will help them achieve safer working conditions. Some regularly talk to fellow Teamsters about the UPS contract, which they also organized. “It’s amazing what you hear about it,” notes Rubie Wiggins, who works for an Amazon DSP. “When you see UPS being less profitable than Amazon, what you really want to say to Amazon is, ‘Please take care of me like this.'”

The Teamsters, including President Sean M. O’Brien, are taking this injury rate seriously. “The Teamsters have had enough of politely asking Amazon to stop breaking the law. Amazon must commit to coming to the table and negotiating a Teamsters contract with its workers — or face the consequences of its inaction. Thousands of Amazon workers across the country bravely joined together to take on one of the most abusive employers in the world. Amazon is legally obligated to recognize the Teamsters and begin negotiations.”

An Amazon spokesman said in a statement: “For more than a year, the Teamsters have intentionally misled the public – by claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers.'” That’s not the case, and this is another attempt to spread a false narrative.”

Will Amazon injury rates steal Christmas?

Observers are divided over whether the strikes will affect holiday deliveries. In a LinkedIn post, Jason Miller, a logistics professor at Michigan State University, noted: “Fewer than ten facilities in the Amazon network are affected. Amazon has several hundred large fulfillment centers, in addition to other types of facilities such as air hubs, sorting centers, local delivery locations, etc. The scope of the strike is less than one percent of Amazon’s workforce… Santa Claus should still be able to get your Christmas presents there on time off.” Unless Santa twists his ankle in the sorting center.

Jake Wilson takes a longer perspective: “In recent years, Amazon workers have been at the forefront of taking on one of the most powerful corporations in the world, and this latest wave of strikes will likely serve to spur further worker action at Amazon.”

Dia Ortiz, an employee at DBK4 in New York, feels inspired by the strikes: “I’ve seen the Teamsters win big battles. We are ready to do whatever it takes to win this game.”