Amazon and Starbucks workers have gone on strike in several US cities, seeking to pressure the companies into recognizing their unionized employees or meeting demands for a labor contract. The strikes, which started on Thursday and Friday, follow recent standoffs between corporate America and organized labor.
The Teamsters union, which represents Amazon warehouse workers and delivery drivers, is fighting for higher wages, better benefits, and safer working conditions. However, the company claims that these workers are not its employees but rather contractors hired to handle package deliveries.
Meanwhile, Starbucks Workers United, a union representing 535 Starbucks store workers in the US, is seeking a labor contract with the company. The union wants Starbucks to honor its commitment to reach a labor agreement this year and resolve outstanding legal issues, including hundreds of unfair labor practice charges filed by workers.
The strikes come as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office and potentially appoint a Republican majority to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which could be less friendly to unions. However, Trump has also shown signs of being more supportive of labor during his second term, with the appointment of Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a congresswoman who supports unions.
The strikes are part of a broader trend of workers organizing and demanding better labor rights and conditions. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of frontline workers and the impact of economic inequality on their lives.
Experts say that the Amazon and Starbucks workers’ strike is an opportunity for them to exert pressure on the companies before Trump takes office. “The unions want to make these disputes public and bring political pressures on the companies,” said John Logan, director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University. “If these disputes drag on until next year, and if they are fought largely through the labor board and the courts, the unions and workers will almost certainly lose.”
Source: https://apnews.com/article/amazon-starbucks-worker-strikes-holidays-64c5c5df331f55ee247365a5a303757d