NEW YORK (Agencies): Amazon workers in over 20 countries, including the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Japan, Brazil, India, and Turkey, are planning to strike during the busy pre-Christmas shopping days between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The strike, organized by UNI Global Union and Progressive International, is part of the “Make Amazon Pay” campaign, aiming to hold Amazon accountable for labor abuses, environmental degradation, and threats to democracy.
The “days of resistance” will see workers from major cities around the world protesting against what they describe as exploitative and anti-democratic practices by the e-commerce giant. The striking workers will be supported by various unions, anti-poverty groups, and garment worker rights organizations.
Christy Hoffman, General Secretary of UNI Global Union, emphasized the unity and momentum of the movement, stating, “No company—no matter how wealthy—can silence the cause of workers demanding justice.”
Amazon, in response, accused the organizers of promoting a “false narrative” and claimed that the company provides great pay, benefits, and opportunities from day one. Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards stated, “We’ve created more than 1.5 million jobs around the world, and counting, and we provide a modern, safe, and engaging workplace whether you work in an office or at one of our operations buildings.”
This marks the fifth year of the “Make Amazon Pay” campaign, with organizers hoping to amplify their message and bring about change in Amazon’s labor practices.