Amazon workers in more than 20 countries are planning strikes and protests for Black Friday

Amazon workers in more than 20 countries, including the United States, plan to strike between Black Friday, November 29, and Cyber ​​Monday, which falls on December 2, according to activists organizing the labor action and hold protests.

The protests, organized by UNI Global Union, a Switzerland-based labor group, and grassroots political organization Progressive International, will take place in cities in the United States, Brazil, Germany, Japan and Britain, the groups said in a statement. Thousands of workers in Germany will go on strike in cities like Koblenz and Leipzig.

The groups are targeting one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year, when consumers typically open their wallets to buy holiday gifts. The aim is to raise awareness of Amazon’s “anti-worker and anti-democratic practices”.

In recent years, workers at some Amazon warehouses in the U.S. have pushed for unionization, but with mixed results. In 2022, an Amazon facility in New York’s Staten Island became the company’s first – and so far only – warehouse to vote fform a union. Other efforts to organize failed, including Amazon facilities in Alabama in 2021 and New York in 2022.

“Amazon’s relentless pursuit of profits comes at the expense of workers, the environment and democracy,” Christy Hoffman, general secretary of UNI Global Union, said in a statement.

Referring to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, she added: “Bezos’ company has spent untold millions to discourage workers from organizing, but the strikes and protests around the world show that workers’ desire for justice – for union representation – cannot be stopped.” “

Amazon defended its treatment of workers.

“These groups represent different interests, and while we are always listening and looking for ways to improve, we are still proud of the competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and engaging, safe work experience we provide our teams,” Amazon spokeswoman Eileen Hards said in a statement.

This is the fifth year the groups have organized protests and strikes against Amazon on Black Friday. Amazon employees have been on duty in recent years march in front of Bezos’ penthouse in New York’s Flatiron district.