Amazon workers to strike between Black Friday, Cyber Monday in US, other countries
Amazon workers from Germany joined colleagues from the USA, Sweden, Great Britain and Italy at the international protest on Black Friday on Nov. 29, 2024. (Photo by Christian Lademann/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Amazon workers are planning a strike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two of the busiest shopping periods after the Thanksgiving holiday.
The strike titled "Make Amazon Pay" is a push by demonstrators to receive better pay and for workers to be allowed to unionize.
Workers are striking in over 20 countries and include the U.S. — where employees plan to strike in "major cities" — the U.K., France, Germany, Japan, Brazil, India and Turkey, according to UNI Global Union and Progressive International, a Switzerland-based global labor union.
FOX Business noted that it is unclear how many workers in the U.S. or abroad plan to go on strike.
The Associated Press reported that roughly 200 warehouse workers and delivery drivers rallied in the capital, New Delhi, under a ``Make Amazon Pay" banner. Some wore masks of Amazon chief Jeff Bezos and joined hands against the Seattle-based company’s practices.
Organizers tell FOX Buisness that this will be their fifth year of striking against Amazon during the beginning of the holiday shopping season.
The "days of resistance" aim to "hold Amazon accountable for [labor] abuses, environmental degradation and threats to democracy," FOX Business reported, citing organizers UNI Global Union and Progressive International.
"From India to the United States, the U.K. to Canada, workers are rising against exploitation and corporate intimidation. ‘Make Amazon Pay Day’ is a powerful testament to our unity and momentum. No company — no matter how wealthy — can silence the cause of workers demanding justice," UNI Global Union’s General Secretary Christy Hoffman said in part of a statement shared with FOX Business.
In a statement from Amazon provided to FOX Business, the online retail giant accused the organizers of being "intentionally misleading" and promoting a "false narrative."
"The fact is, at Amazon we provide great pay, great benefits, and great opportunities — all from day one," Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards tells FOX Business. "We’ve created more than 1.5 million jobs around the world, and counting, and we provide a modern, safe, and engaging workplace whether you work in an office or at one of our operations buildings.