The expansion of the strike against Amazon by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters this weekend has exacerbated concerns about shipping delays ahead of the Christmas and Hanukkah holidays.
Workers at the KSBD air hub in San Bernardino, California, were the latest to join other union members in New York City, Atlanta, Illinois, San Francisco, and parts of Southern California striking against Amazon. The thousands of workers walking off the job days before Christmas has raised the possibility of delays, with one striking official arguing the company is “jeopardizing the holidays.”
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“Amazon is jeopardizing the holidays for consumers so they can try to make an extra buck,” ALU-IBT Local 1 President Connor Spence said in a statement on Friday.
While the strikes could lead to slower deliveries for Amazon packages, the company said in a statement that they are confident there will be minimal impact because of their various contingencies.
“Our logistics infrastructure was built to deliver on our customer promise,” Amazon said in a statement to CNN on Friday. “We believe in the strength of our network and plan for contingencies to minimize potential operational impact or costs.”
The high number of facilities Amazon has for processing packages will also help mitigate any delays, Satish Jindel, president of delivery data software company ShipMatrix, told the outlet.
“They will have the ability to ship product from other locations. They won’t be shut down,” Jindel told the outlet. “Some packages that might have taken one day to be delivered will now take two. Some that might have taken two days will take three. But it won’t be that many.”
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The Teamsters workers striking against Amazon have pushed for higher wages at the various facilities throughout the country, with union leaders saying that they will not back down.
“These workers have the courage to face down a giant and the conviction to demand what they’ve rightfully earned. No matter how hard Amazon tries to hold them down, our members’ spirits are strong and will never be broken,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said in a statement on Saturday.