Teamsters v. Amazon

[Counselor706]

NEW YORK (AP) — One of the nation’s largest union is aiming to unionize Amazon workers.

Representatives from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a union that represents 1.4 million workers, voted on Thursday to make organizing Amazon workers a priority. That means it will create a division focused on Amazon and set aside money for the effort.

The Teamsters said that Amazon, the nation’s second-largest private employer, is exploiting its employees by paying them low wages, pushing them to work at fast speeds and giving them no job security. It also said the company, which has been rapidly growing its delivery business, threatens the working standards it has created for workers at other freight and delivery companies, such as UPS.

But Korgan said the Teamsters will try a different strategy. He wrote in a Salon article earlier this month that unionizing one facility at a time doesn’t work because companies like Amazon have the money and legal resources to kill unionizing efforts inside their facilities. Organizing Amazon workers, he wrote, will take “shop-floor militancy,” such as taking to city streets and holding warehouse strikes.

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[KeithD]

Something does need to be done at Amazon (and elsewhere) to make them pay their workers more and their managers less--and to pay their share of taxes.

 

[pecksniff]

Then let's see some shop-floor militancy! 'Bout fucking time!

 

[CornusKousa]

Something does need to be done at Amazon (and elsewhere) to make them pay their workers more and their managers less--and to pay their share of taxes.

Why??

And define "fair share" .......

 

[pecksniff]

Why is Amazon even fighting this?! It's not like Bezos isn't making enough money!

 

[CornusKousa]

Why is Amazon even fighting this?!

Because they are in the business of making money.

It's not like Bezos isn't making enough money!

Says who??

 

[bellisarius]

Fascinating subject.

Amazon is building a new 'fulfillment center' just down the road. I've been in it twice while under construction and the degree of automation is astonishing. Amazon is also investing heavily in drone delivery and driverless vehicle technology. In other words they are well aware of their Achilles heel and doing their damnedest to eliminate humans wherever possible. The point being that they are way ahead of the union already. I don't think you'll see a cadre of robots picketing any of the warehouses.

To the extent that the union may be successful in the gap period before that technology is mature enough to roll out they just may be creating a resurgence in the brick and mortar stores.

 

[pecksniff]

Says who??

Anybody reasonable.

 

[CornusKousa]

Anybody reasonable.

So nobody of importance......and with no real argument.