Hundreds of warehouse workers and drivers walked off the job and joined the picket line outside the massive DBK4 Amazon fulfillment center in Maspeth on Thursday morning as the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) launched the largest strike ever against the $2 trillion corporation in New York City, Atlanta, Southern California, San Francisco, and Illinois.
Amazon workers at other facilities across the country say they are prepared to join them to protest unfair labor practices after the IBT set a Dec. 15 deadline for Amazon to begin negotiations on a new agreement. The union was ignored.
“I’ve seen the teamsters win big battles,” DBK4 worker Dia Ortiz said. “We’re ready to do what it takes to win this one.”
Nearly 10,000 Amazon workers have mobilized and joined the teamsters fighting for higher wages, better benefits, and safer conditions where they work. The strike started less than a week before Christmas with the holiday rush already underway.
“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,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said. “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.”
Amazon said the strike was launched by outsiders and non-Amazon employees.
“The truth is that they were unable to get enough support from our employees and partners and have brought in outsiders to come and harass and intimidate our team, which is inappropriate and dangerous,” Amazon said in a statement.
Brendan Radke, a driver at the Maspeth facility for two years, dismissed Amazon’s claim and explained the difference between working for Amazon and the United Parcel Service.
“UPS makes hundreds of billions in profit, and it can still pay its workers a fair share. They can still pay their workers good health benefits. They still have safer work conditions, less injuries than Amazon,” Radke said. “But yet, here’s Amazon probably making triple what UPS makes, and they decide that they’re not going to pay their workers a fair share. And I think enough is enough.”
Radke was one of several strikers arrested by the NYPD when they moved in to break the picket line allowing Amazon vehicles to leave the fulfillment center. They were given desk appearance tickets, released, and rejoined the strikers.
“So the cops have taken the side of Amazon,” Radke said. “Unfortunately, they’ve betrayed their fellow working people, and they decided to play the role of Amazon’s puppet while we were legally picketing.”
International Brotherhood of Teamsters organizer Antonio Rosario has been on the ground for a year working with the warehouse workers and drivers. He was also arrested by the NYPD, given a desk appearance ticket and released.
“They’re continuing to violate our rights. This is what multi-billion dollar corporations do,” Rosario said. “They can set up the police out here. They violate our rights and all we can do is take them on in court with our lawyers. These corporations that have billions and billions of dollars, and they continue to pick on the little, you know, the hard working people in this country, and that is the core of this strike.”
State Senator Jessica Ramos, the Chair of the Labor Committee, witnessed the arrests and was not pleased.
“The NYPD should be protecting the New Yorkers who pay their salaries and are fighting for the good pay and safe working conditions we all deserve,” Ramos said. “Going on strike is a protected right, and Amazon can end this right now by coming to the table to bargain.”
Council Member Tiffany Cabán joined the striking workers on the picket line. The former public defender called out the NYPD.
“Today, Amazon Teamsters took a historic step by striking and demanding what they deserve: a fair workplace and good faith negotiations,” Cabán said. “In response, the NYPD chose to defend Amazon’s corporate greed instead of protecting working New Yorkers. I condemn the NYPD’s use of the Strategic Response Group and violence at the Amazon Teamsters picket line where workers were peacefully – and lawfully – striking.”
She also accused police of blocking the picket line and even throwing punches at strikers.
“I condemn both Amazon and the NYPD for denigrating the rights of workers under federal labor law to organize, strike, and collectively bargain in good faith,” Cabán said.
Other elected officials struck a more measured tone.
“Amazon workers and drivers deserve a fair contract, not union busting and retribution for speaking out against the company’s greed,” Council Member Julie Won said. “I once again rallied with the Amazon Labor Union and Teamsters to demand that Amazon do right by its workers. Amazon profits from the labor of thousands of workers who face heavy holiday workloads, unfair pay, and poor working conditions. I will continue to stand with Amazon employees until their demands are met.”
Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas said she was proud to join the Teamsters in what is billed as the largest strike against Amazon in U.S. history, and she alluded to Amazon scuttling plans to build a headquarters in Long Island City in 2019.
“This is my second time joining workers outside on this site as we called for management to come to the table and bargain with the thousands of Amazon workers who just want a fair contract,” González-Rojas said. “Amazon is breaking the law, but we are standing with the workers across the country to fight their unjust labor practices. Queens has beaten Amazon before, and we will do it again.”
