ROBBINSVILLE, NJ — Amazon drivers belonging to Teamsters unions in New Jersey were joined by brothers in Chicago this week.
Amazon drivers staged a picket at the DXH5 warehouse in Chicago, escalating their ongoing strike against the company’s labor practices. This action is part of a broader, four-month strike that originated at Amazon’s DAX8 delivery station in Palmdale, California, and has since spread nationwide.
Heath Lopez, a striking Amazon driver from Palmdale and member of Teamsters Local 396, expressed the group’s frustrations, citing issues like unsafe vans, aggressive dogs, and heavy workloads. According to Lopez, the strike will continue to expand until Amazon addresses these concerns.
Since June 24, the unfair labor practice strike has extended to 25 Amazon warehouses across several states including California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey.
Victor Mineros, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 396 in Los Angeles, condemned Amazon’s business model and labor violations, emphasizing the drivers’ determination to fight for better working conditions. The backing of local communities and over a million Teamster members nationwide bolsters their efforts.
The strife stems from Amazon’s refusal to recognize a union contract formed by 84 workers in Palmdale who organized with the Teamsters in April, becoming the first union of Amazon drivers in the country. Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner (DSP), Battle-Tested Strategies (BTS), bargained the contract, but Amazon’s non-recognition and alleged unfair labor practices led to the termination of the newly organized unit.
The ongoing strike aims to compel Amazon to reinstate unlawfully terminated employees, recognize the Teamsters Union, respect the negotiated contract, and address issues like low pay and dangerous working conditions.
The Teamsters Union, representing 1.3 million workers in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, advocates for the rights of workers to operate safe equipment and refuse unsafe deliveries, especially critical in extreme conditions like those experienced in Palmdale summers. The union’s efforts demand significant changes to Amazon’s labor practices to ensure worker safety and fair treatment.