A nationwide strike by Amazon delivery drivers and third-party workers, affiliated with the Teamsters union, has sparked concerns about potential delays in package deliveries during the holiday season. Despite widespread protests, experts say that there is little evidence of significant disruptions to Amazon’s operations.
The protests, which began last week, have seen thousands of striking workers demonstrate at various locations across the US, including major cities like New York City and Atlanta. The Teamsters union has focused its efforts on delivery centers that handle packages over the “last mile” to a customer’s home. While demonstrations have occasionally slowed trucks passing in and out of these centers, experts say that this could delay local package deliveries by one or two days.
However, Amazon officials claim that there has been no impact on their operations, and that only outsiders are participating in the protests. The company argues that the federal government has not ordered them to bargain with Teamsters-affiliated workers, and that none of its employees have paid dues to the union.
Despite the lack of significant disruptions, experts warn that public awareness of the labor effort could deter some customers from ordering, potentially affecting Amazon’s sales. Additionally, if the protests gain momentum, it could inspire more employees to organize unions at new facilities, posing a future threat to Amazon’s distribution network.
“It’s possible a small percentage of customers might choose to buy elsewhere,” said Rob Handfield, a professor of operations and supply-chain management at North Carolina State University. “Public awareness of the labor effort could also draw more employees to the Teamsters, building union momentum and posing a threat to the company’s distribution network in the coming months or years.”
Overall, while the protests have raised concerns about potential delays, experts say that Amazon’s vast distribution network makes it difficult for the strike to have a significant impact.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/teamsters-protest-amazon-disrupting-holiday-deliveries/story?id=117047487