Thousands of Amazon workers from around the world are planning to strike again on one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. This is the fifth holiday season in a row for Make Amazon Pay protests, when warehouse staff and delivery drivers strike in support of workers’ rights and climate action from Black Friday through Cyber Monday.
Employees in 20 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Japan, are demanding higher pay, the option to unionize, and a company commitment to environmental sustainability.
It’s all led by a pair of social and economic justice organizations, UNI Global and Progressive International.
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“Amazon is everywhere, but so are we,” Progressive International’s Co-General Coordinator Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla said. “By uniting our movements across borders, we can not only force Amazon to change its ways but lay the foundations of a world that prioritizes human dignity, not Jeff Bezos’ bank balance.”
According to numbers from Amazon, employees in the U.S. can earn between $18.50 and $29.50 per hour depending on the position and location.
A 2023 report by the National Employment Law Project found that warehouse workers in areas with Amazon fulfillment centers make $822 less a month than warehouse workers in areas that don’t have Amazon fulfillment centers.
It’s not clear exactly how much more money Amazon workers are asking for, but they specifically want hazard pay and premium pay for peak times.
When it comes to environmental concerns, the advocacy groups are asking Amazon to commit to zero emissions by 2030 and to transition to electric vehicles.
An Amazon spokesperson said in a statement that it is already taking a proactive stance against climate change by becoming the world’s largest purchaser of renewable energy.
“These groups represent a variety of interests, and while we’re always listening and looking at ways to improve, we remain proud of the competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and engaging, safe work experience we provide our teams,” Amazon said.
Tags: amazon, Amazon Labor Union, Amazon Prime, Black Friday, Climate Change, Cyber Monday, Germany, Holiday shopping, Japan, Protests, shopping, Strike, Taxes, United Kingdom, United States, Workers Rights
[Jack]
THOUSANDS OF AMAZON WORKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE PLANNING TO STRIKE AGAIN ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST SHOPPING WEEKENDS OF THE YEAR.
THIS IS THE FOURTH HOLIDAY SEASON IN A ROW FOR ‘MAKE AMAZON PAY’ PROTESTS … WHEN WAREHOUSE STAFF AND DELIVERY DRIVERS STARTING BLACK FRIDAY THROUGH CYBER MONDAY … PROTEST IN SUPPORT OF WORKERS’ RIGHTS AND CLIMATE ACTION.
EMPLOYEES IN 20 COUNTRIES – INCLUDING THE U-S, THE U-K, GERMANY AND JAPAN – ARE DEMANDING HIGHER PAY, THE OPTION TO UNIONIZE, AND A COMPANY COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
IT’S ALL LED BY A PAIR OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS – U-N-I GLOBAL AND PROGRESSIVE INTERNATIONAL.
THE MOVEMENT HAS GROWN EACH YEAR … WITH A PROGRESSIVE INTERNATIONAL COORDINATOR SAYING …
“AMAZON IS EVERYWHERE, BUT SO ARE WE. BY UNITING OUR MOVEMENTS ACROSS BORDERS, WE CAN NOT ONLY FORCE AMAZON TO CHANGE ITS WAYS BUT LAY THE FOUNDATIONS OF A WORLD THAT PRIORITIZES HUMAN DIGNITY, NOT JEFF BEZOS’ BANK BALANCE.”
ACCORDING TO NUMBERS FROM AMAZON …
EMPLOYEES IN THE U-S CAN EARN BETWEEN 18-50 AND 29-50 PER HOUR DEPENDING ON THE POSITION AND LOCATION.
A 20-23 REPORT BY THE ‘NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT LAW PROJECT’ FOUND THAT WAREHOUSE WORKERS IN AREAS WITH AMAZON FULFILLMENT CENTERS MAKE 822 DOLLARS LESS A MONTH THAN WAREHOUSE WORKERS IN AREAS THAT DON’T HAVE AMAZON FULFILLMENT CENTERS.
IT’S NOT CLEAR EXACTLY HOW MUCH MORE MONEY AMAZON WORKERS ARE ASKING FOR, BUT THEY SPECIFICALLY WANT HAZARD PAY AND PREMIUM PAY FOR PEAK TIMES.
WHEN IT COMES TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, THE ADVOCACY GROUPS ARE ASKING AMAZON TO COMMIT TO ZERO EMISSIONS BY 20-30 AND TO TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
AN AMAZON SPOKESPERSON SAYING IN A STATEMENT THAT IT IS ALREADY TAKING A PROACTIVE STANCE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE BECOMING THE LARGEST PURCHASER OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN THE WORLD … ADDING QUOTE …
“THESE GROUPS REPRESENT A VARIETY OF INTERESTS, AND WHILE WE’RE ALWAYS LISTENING AND LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPROVE, WE REMAIN PROUD OF THE COMPETITIVE PAY, COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS, AND ENGAGING, SAFE WORK EXPERIENCE WE PROVIDE OUR TEAMS.”
FOR SAN – I’M JACK AYLMER.
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