It's Black Friday or, as the UNI Global Union calls it, "Make Amazon Pay Day." For the last four years, Amazon workers in various countries have walked off the job on Black Friday to protest labor conditions and environmental harms. And this year they're doing the same. Workers in more than 20 countries, including the US, walked off the job Friday as part of the "Make Amazon Pay days of resistance," to last until Cyber Monday, stretching across one of the busiest holiday shopping weekends of the year, per ABC News. Last year, Amazon counted $170 billion in total holiday sales on Black Friday, representing 18% of worldwide sales, the outlet notes.
"Amazon's relentless pursuit of profit comes at a cost to workers, the environment and democracy," says Christy Hoffman, general secretary of UNI Global Union, a leader in the demonstrations, representing more than 20 million workers in service sector industries in 150 countries, per UPI. She says Amazon has spent millions of dollars "to stop workers from organizing." These days of protest "show that workers' desire for justice—for union representation—can't be stopped," she adds. "We stand united in demanding that Amazon treat its workers fairly, respect fundamental rights, and stop undermining the systems meant to protect us all."
In a Thursday statement, Amazon rep Eileen Hards said the union "is being intentionally misleading and continues to promote a false narrative," stressing that "we provide great pay, great benefits, and great opportunities—all from day one." This comes shortly after the National Labor Relations Board ruled Amazon violated federal labor law protections in forcing union-backing employees to attend anti-union meetings at a Staten Island facility in 2022, per UPI. Thousands of workers in Germany are expected to join the weekend strike, as well as some workers in the US, UK, India, Brazil, Japan, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Amazon deliveries could be delayed as a result. (More Amazon stories.)
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