Amazon workers in the US, India, Germany, France, Spain, UK, Spain and dozens of other countries, joined by organizers of Make Amazon Pay Day, are striking in one of the most busy times of the year for e-commerce, demanding better wages, working conditions and union rights, aiming to “hold Amazon accountable for mistreatment of workers, environmental degradation and threats to democracy’.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are at risk of not going ahead in more than 20 countries in the fifth consecutive year of strike action by organizers, who are deliberately timing it to get their message across to the company.
In India, workers are demanding better wages and fair treatment from Amazon after a wave of illness in warehouses due to last July’s heat wave. Around 200 warehouse and distribution workers rallied in the capital, New Delhi, under the banner ‘Make Amazon Pay’. Some donned masks of CEO Jeff Bezos and joined hands against the Seattle-based company’s practices.
In Delhi, workers took time out from their demanding schedules at to join the movement to . Their determination to fight for fair pay, safe conditions, and respect inspires us all to stand in solidarity! ✊
— Amazon India Workers Union (@AiwaInd)
The strikes are supported by unions and workers’ rights groups around the world.
The exact number of workers who will strike is not known, but the UNI Global Union, one of the main organizers, said that thousands of workers in Germany will join the strike, while in India dozens of workers will walk off the job.
Christy Hoffman, general secretary of the UNI Global Union, said: “His company [Τζεφ] Bezos has spent untold millions to stop workers from organizing, but the strikes and protests happening around the world show that workers’ desire for justice, for representation through unions, cannot be stopped.” “Make Amazon Pay Day Becomes a Global Act of Resistance Against Amazon’s Abuse of Power.”
Manish Kumar, 25, an Amazon warehouse worker who took part in the protest in New Delhi, said the monthly basic salary is 10,000 rupees ($120), “which should be at least 25,000 rupees ($295). And the environment works under pressure,” he added.
Nitesh Das, a union leader, said the workers took to the streets because they wanted the government to support their cause.
Amazon India Workers Join Global Strike For Fair Wages & Rights
Around 200 warehouse workers and delivery drivers joined the global movement, many wearing masks of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, to demand better conditions and pay.
— RT_India (@RT_India_news)
In 2023, Amazon accounted for 18% of global Black Friday sales, with total sales of over $170 billion. However, the company in India accuses the unions of “deliberately misleading” the public.
Amazon spokeswoman Eileen Hards told Fox: “The truth is that at Amazon we’ve provided great pay, great benefits and great opportunities, all from day one. We’ve created more than 1.5 million jobs worldwide and counting, and we provide a modern, safe and impressive workplace, whether you work in an office or at one of our facilities.”
In a statement, the Amazon India Workers Union said similar protests are planned in other parts of India and in other countries, including the United States, Germany, Japan and Brazil. “The protesters will call on Amazon to pay its workers fairly, respect their right to join unions and commit to environmental sustainability,” the union said, adding that it would submit a memorandum outlining its demands to the labor minister. of India Mansukh Mandaviya.
India’s National Human Rights Commission issued a notice to Amazon in June 2023 following local media reports that workers were being forced to work without breaks during the summer peak season. Amazon India denied the charge.
In the US, the company announced it is spending $2.2 billion on wage increases for warehouse and transportation staff, bringing the base wage to more than $22 an hour.
Still, strike organizers said they are continuing to fight, as few others worldwide receive these benefits.
“Amazon is everywhere, but so are we. By uniting our movements across borders, we can not only force Amazon to change its ways, but also lay the foundation for a world where human dignity is prioritized, not Jeff Bezos’ bank balance,” said Varsha Gandikota -Nellutla, general coordinator of strike organizer Progressive International.
