Amazon workers worldwide set to protest on Black Friday weekend, union federation says

Amazon workers in more than 20 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, plan to hold protests or go on strike between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, two of the marquee shopping promotions of the year, according to organizers.

The planned “Make Amazon Payâ€� demonstrations are intended to “hold Amazon accountable for labor abuses, environmental degradation and threats to democracy,â€� according to the initiativeâ€s organizers, the Switzerland-based labor federation UNI Global Union and the grassroots activist group Progressive International.

“We stand united in demanding that Amazon treat its workers fairly, respect fundamental rights, and stop undermining the systems meant to protect us all. ‘Make Amazon Pay Day†is becoming a global act of resistance against Amazonâ€s abuse of power,â€� said Christy Hoffman, general secretary of UNI Global Union.

In a statement, Amazon spokeswoman Eileen Hards said: “These groups represent a variety of interests, and while weâ€re always listening and looking at ways to improve, we remain proud of the competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and engaging, safe work experience we provide our teams.â€�

The two strike organizers said unions and allied groups are planning to hold demonstrations in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, France, Japan, Brazil, Turkey and other nations. In at least six German towns, thousands of Amazon workers are set to strike. In New Delhi, hundreds of Amazon workers are expected to rally to demand fair treatment.

The planned “global day of resistance� comes as labor leaders around the world feel increasingly emboldened to take on large corporations in an era of income inequality. The International Labour Organization, an arm of the United Nations, found that post-pandemic inflation and the rising cost of living have been eroding the real value of minimum wages in many countries.

In recent years, American labor activists have increasingly trained their ire on Amazon and the shopping behemothâ€s billionaire founder, Jeff Bezos. The results have been mixed. In early 2022, an Amazon facility in Staten Island, New York, became the first company warehouse to vote to form a union. But similar union drives in Alabama and at least two others in New York failed.

It was not immediately clear how many Amazon workers in the U.S. would participate in the announced demonstrations against the Seattle-based company, one of the leading e-commerce and digital technology firms in the world.

“Amazon is everywhere, but so are we,� said Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, co-general coordinator of Progressive International. “By uniting our movements across borders, we can not only force Amazon to change its ways, but lay the foundations of a world that prioritizes human dignity, not Jeff Bezos†bank balance.�

UNI Global Union and Progressive International said that this is the fifth year of “Make Amazon Pay� activities. In previous years, according to the groups, thousands of workers went on strike at company facilities in Germany, France, Spain, the U.K. and Italy.