The Teamsters union has recently made headlines as its members have voted to authorize a strike at three Amazon facilities, one of which is the Staten Island, New York, warehouse that notably became the first to have employees vote in favor of unionization in 2022. Despite this development, Amazon has asserted that its operations will remain unaffected by the union's actions, even in the event of a strike.

This conflict represents a significant moment in the ongoing struggle between labor and corporate power in the United States. The stakes are high, with implications for workers' rights, corporate responsibility, and the future of unionization in the tech and e-commerce sectors.

The Teamsters' Move: Authorizing a Strike

The Teamsters, while claiming to represent approximately 7,000 Amazon workers across the nation, constitute less than 1% of Amazon's total workforce in the United States. It is also worth noting that although the union has voted to approve a walk-out, no specific strike deadline has been set.

The union announced last week that workers at the San Bernardino air hub have joined the union. However, many of the 7,000 Teamsters referred to as "Amazon employees" are actually drivers for independent contractors who deliver exclusively for Amazon. These drivers are based at seven different Amazon facilities, including those in Queens and Skokie where strike votes have been authorized.

Amazon's Stance: Business as Usual

Amazon has asserted that its operations will remain unaffected by the union's actions, even in the event of a strike. Eileen Hards, a spokesperson for Amazon, stated in a communication, "Our operations have not been impacted by these recent protests; they have only caused inconvenience to our employees and partners."

The company is currently contesting the results of the 2022 Staten Island election in court and refuses to engage in negotiations with the union or recognize any employees who claim to have joined the union.

The Broader Context: Unionization Efforts at Amazon

In April 2022, the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), a relatively new union, won such a vote at Amazon's Staten Island facility. Other union votes at various Amazon facilities have been unsuccessful both before and after this event.

In June, members of the ALU voted to affiliate with the Teamsters, which is one of the largest and most influential unions in the country, boasting 1.3 million members. Voluntary recognition of a union by an employer is permitted under labor law, but it is a relatively rare occurrence.

Legal and Labor Relations: The NLRB's Role

Typically, unions secure representation of workers by filing for elections overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Under a recent NLRB opinion, these workers can be recognized as having two different employers, and unions can seek recognition and negotiate with either the contractor or the company they serve. Business groups continue to challenge the NLRB's dual employer opinion, and it may be rejected once President-elect Trump appoints a new NLRB General Counsel and board members early next year.

The Drivers' Situation: Contractors or Employees?

The drivers in Queens and Skokie may have participated in a strike vote, but there has never been an NLRB-supervised representation election at either location. Even if there had been such an election and it was certified by the NLRB, Amazon maintains that these drivers are not their employees but rather employees of its contractors.

Amazon further asserts that the majority of employees at the facilities the Teamsters claim to represent do not support the union or its efforts, and that the Teamsters' claim of representation is intended to "deliberately mislead the public."

The Financial Angle: Amazon's Profits and Workers' Struggles

Given Amazon's substantial profits, the union argues that the company should acknowledge its existence and engage in negotiations. Amazon reported a net income of $39.2 billion for the first nine months of this year, more than double that of the same period in 2023. "Amazon's so-called 'leaders' should treat their workers fairly—they simply want to provide for their families," Teamsters President Sean O'Brien stated. "Instead, Amazon executives risk jeopardizing the holiday season for their customers due to their obsession with prioritizing profits over people." Riley Holzworth, a driver from the Skokie facility who voted in favor of the strike, echoed this sentiment, saying, "Amazon is one of the largest companies globally, yet we struggle to make ends meet."

Amazon's Workforce and Union Representation

Amazon operates a network of over 1,000 warehouses in the United States, employing more than 740,000 workers, according to a recent government report. The Teamsters claim to represent Amazon workers at warehouses in San Francisco and San Bernardino, California, as well as the Staten Island workers who have been certified as union members by the NLRB.

Historical Precedents: UPS and the Teamsters

It is common for strike authorization votes to be approved, even if the union members never proceed with a strike, as was the case with UPS, the Teamsters' largest employer, in 2023, where an agreement was reached just a week before the deadline despite 97% of the membership authorizing a strike.

Conclusion: Implications for the Future of Labor Relations

The ongoing conflict between the Teamsters and Amazon represents the latest attempt by the union to exert pressure on the company and its staunchly anti-union stance, particularly during the critical holiday shopping season. This situation also signals that organized labor is exploring new strategies to advocate for workers at Amazon, which is the second-largest private sector employer in the United States.

However, Amazon has shown no signs of willingness to negotiate with the Teamsters or even to acknowledge that the union represents any of its workers, despite the union's assertion that employees at multiple Amazon facilities have expressed their desire to join through signed cards.

The union announced last week that workers at the San Bernardino air hub have joined the union. However, many of the 7,000 Teamsters referred to as "Amazon employees" are actually drivers for independent contractors who deliver exclusively for Amazon. These drivers are based at seven different Amazon facilities, including those in Queens and Skokie where strike votes have been authorized.

The drivers in Queens and Skokie may have participated in a strike vote, but there has never been an NLRB-supervised representation election at either location. Even if there had been such an election and it was certified by the NLRB, Amazon maintains that these drivers are not their employees but rather employees of its contractors.

Amazon further asserts that the majority of employees at the facilities the Teamsters claim to represent do not support the union or its efforts, and that the Teamsters' claim of representation is intended to "deliberately mislead the public." Under a recent NLRB opinion, these workers can be recognized as having two different employers, and unions can seek recognition and negotiate with either the contractor or the company they serve. Business groups continue to challenge the NLRB's dual employer opinion, and it may be rejected once President-elect Trump appoints a new NLRB General Counsel and board members early next year.