UNITED STATES (WBAP/KLIF News ) – Amazon workers in the United States and more than 30 other countries are striking en mass on Black Friday.
It’s part of the Make Amazon Pay initiative and workers are demanding better pay and work conditions.
Workers will also protest at Whole Foods stores, which Amazon owns, and in front of the online giant’s founder Jeff Bezos’ New York City home.
Activist Drew Duzinskas, Deb Mell for 33rd Ward Alderman in Illinois, described what he said are Amazon’s anti-union tactics to the 4315 Podcast.
“These are meeting were workers are forced to sit and get bombarded with anti-union messaging. Often times, there’s disinformation and misdirection from the reality of the situation at these meetings as well,” he said.
Amazon has not commented on the strike. The protest is being promoted on Twitter with the hashtag #MakeAmazonPay.
According to the UNI Global Union, workers in these countries will strike and protest: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, Turkey and the U.K.
Activists, elected officials and workers worldwide took to social media to voice their concerns.
Amazon has previously defended its safety record and said injury rates at its warehouses are not higher than rates at other companies.
The online shopping giant is facing growing pressure from US workers seeking to unionize.
According to the Associated Press, a warehouse in Staten Island in New York City became the first Amazon fulfillment center to organize. The move prompted other facilities nationwide to file for collective bargaining rights.
Copyright 2021. WBAP/KLIF News. All Rights Reserved. Associated Press contributed to this report.
