Taking the fight to Amazon for all Teamsters
January 1, 2025
Taking the fight to employers is what we do every day as Teamsters. Whether at the bargaining table or in the workplace, Joint Council 7 Local Unions hold management accountable and demand the respect members deserve. As a Joint Council, and as Teamsters across the country, it is imperative that we also dedicate the time, energy and resources necessary to organizing new members at non-union employers, particularly at big corporations such as Amazon whose business model is built on taking advantage of workers.
Amazon is the poster child for greedy corporations, making $30 billion in profits last year and slated to pocket a whopping $50 billion this year. Most disturbing of all, these profits are made on the backs of workers being paid sub-standard wages, with little benefits and poor working conditions. Amazon warehouse workers and delivery drivers here in Joint Council 7 and across the nation are saying enough is enough to Amazon’s excessive greed, and are fighting back by organizing with the Teamsters to demand a fair share of the billions of dollars they make for the company.
As Teamsters we aren’t afraid to take on even the largest corporations in the world. That willingness to fight was in full force before the Christmas holiday when Teamster Amazon workers from across the country took to the streets in an unfair labor practice strike to send a powerful message to the company that it’s time for Amazon to respect its workers and comply with the law. Amazon Teamsters know that respect comes with a strong contract and are demanding the company come to the bargaining table and negotiate with our Teamsters Amazon National Negotiating Committee.
Not surprisingly, officers, business agents, stewards and members from every Local Union in Joint Council 7 stepped up and have been on the front lines of this fight with Amazon. During the pre-Christmas actions, Joint Council 7 Local Unions joined Amazon workers on the lines at 11 locations across the region, from the Bay Area to Northern Nevada, and throughout the Central Valley, from Sacramento all the way down to Bakersfield. These actions before Christmas were just the beginning of the fight. Amazon may have the money, but as Teamsters we have the people, and we have willingness to fight for as long as it takes to win.
The fight at Amazon is an example of how important organizing is to our Union. The larger we get as a Union through organizing, the stronger we all get as Teamsters. When we grow through organizing, not only do we help build the middle class through winning strong Teamster contracts for non-union workers, but we protect the hard-fought industry standards we’ve won at Teamster-represented employers.
More specifically, our growth in size through organizing translates to more power at the bargaining table to win strong contracts, increased resources, and stronger representation. The more we organize, the bigger we are, and the larger we are, the stronger our voice is together and the more resources we have to win for all Teamsters.
