Some Amazon employees and activists in 20 countries are preparing to strike or protest on Black Friday and Cyber Monday as part of the “Make Amazon Pay” demonstrations.
This is the fifth year in a row that workers at Amazon have staged the protests and strikes over what they say are poor working conditions at the company. The demonstrations will take place this Friday through Monday.
The organizers said they demand that Amazon pay its workers fairly and respect their right to join unions, pay its fair share of taxes, and commit to environmental sustainability.
“Amazon’s relentless pursuit of profit comes at a cost to workers, the environment and democracy,” Christy Hoffman, general secretary of UNI Global Union said in a news release.
Switzerland-based labor federation UNI Global Union is spearheading the demonstrations, along with the grassroots activist group Progressive International.
According to UNI Global Union, the demonstrations will take place in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Japan, Brazil, Turkey and other nations. In at least six Amazon locations across Germany, Amazon workers plan to go on strike. Amazon workers in New Delhi are expected to hold rallies to demand better working conditions.
“Jeff Bezos’s company has spent untold millions to stop workers from organizing, but the strikes and protests happening around the world show that workers’ desire for justice – for union representation – can’t be stopped,” Hoffman said. “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 Amazon’s abuse of power.”
Along with UNI Global Union and Progressive International, the demonstrations will include members of over 80 unions, civil society organizations, environmentalists and tax watchdog firms from around the world.
In a statement to NBC, Amazon spokeswoman Eileen Hards said: “These groups represent a variety of interests, and while we’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.”
It’s unclear what impact, if any, the protest could have on Amazon’s bottom line.
Seattle-based Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) posted third-quarter revenue of $158.9 billion, an 11% year-over-year increase.
For the 2024 holiday season, Amazon is projected to generate $112 billion in e-commerce sales, according to Statista. In comparison, Walmart’s e-commerce sales are projected to reach $22 billion, while Apple’s online sales are predicted to be $12 billion.
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