Workers at a group of Amazon warehouses across the U.S., including one in Chicago’s suburbs, will walk off the job Thursday, the Teamsters announced Wednesday night.
According to a press release from the Teamsters Union, workers at facilities in California, New York, Texas and Illinois who authorized a strike earlier this week will walk off the job beginning at 5 a.m. Central time on Thursday, less than one week before the Christmas holiday.
Workers at the company's warehouse in Skokie voted to authorize a work stoppage earlier this week.
“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 do right by our members. They ignored it,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien in a statement. “These greedy executives had every chance to show decency and respect for the people who make their obscene profits possible. Instead, they’ve pushed workers to the limit and now they’re paying the price. This strike is on them.”
According to the union, picket lines will be also put up at other facilities nationwide, allowing workers and drivers who aren’t currently in the union to participate in the strike action if they choose to.
Amazon has not yet released a statement concerning the move by the Teamsters, but earlier this week issued a statement to NBC News saying that other warehouses and distribution centers would help prevent large-scale disruptions.
“The company is a large network. Christmas is not getting ruined for anyone,” the company said.
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According to Teamsters officials, nearly 10,000 workers have joined unions across the country. According to Reuters, that represents approximately 1% of the company’s hourly workforce.
“Amazon is one of the biggest companies on Earth, but we are struggling to pay our bills,” said Riley Holzworth, a worker at DIL7. “Other workers are seeing our example and joining our movement, because we are only going to get the treatment we deserve if we fight for it.”
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According to the Teamsters, Amazon has “illegally refused” to recognize unions, and has declined to collectively bargain a labor agreement at the Skokie facility.
The Teamsters gave Amazon a deadline of Dec. 15 to engage in negotiations, which union officials say the company ignored.
A statement from Amazon to NBC Chicago said the Teamsters do not represent as many employees as they claim, adding in part:
“The Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union," the statement said.
Workers are seeking better wages and work conditions, according to press releases.
