I work at one of the most profitable companies in the world, yet I’m barely able to get by.
In August 2023, I got hired as a warehouse associate at an Amazon delivery station in San Francisco. Within months, it became clear just how unjust and dysfunctional the workplace was.
I start work at 3:20 a.m. and spend eight hours a day processing thousands of packages. By the end of the shift, my shoulders are sore, I’m lightheaded, and I often feel like I’m running on empty.
Our workplace isn’t safe. Heavy boxes routinely fall on my co-workers’ heads. I’ve seen people get chemical burns from cleaning up hazardous materials. It’s not unusual to sustain long-term injuries from being overworked.
In short, my co-workers and I come to work every day, breaking our backs for a company that treats us as disposable and refuses to offer living wages or adequate health care plans. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We have the power to demand better.
That’s why my co-workers and I are organizing with the Teamsters Union, standing up to our bosses, and demanding Amazon recognize our union.
Management makes false promises, wanting us to believe that if we just work hard enough, we’ll climb the ranks to become a manager or get a raise. But favoritism is rampant, and consistent understaffing makes us physically, mentally, and emotionally stressed, leading to burnout.
We won’t let this company continue to exploit us. We’re demanding union recognition and a Teamsters contract because we know that when we stand together, Amazon will be forced to hear our demands.
Management has tried their best to stop us from talking to each other about workplace issues. They say they can only deal with people’s issues one-on-one, because Amazon knows that when we come together as a group, we have the power to actually change things for the better.
We’re showing our co-workers and the company that we can make our workplace safer and healthier as a union. We are fighting for a living wage, a safe workplace that’s free from harassment, and quality health care and benefits. We’re unionizing in order to have a voice and call out Amazon for their mistreatment of workers.
So, at 3:00 a.m. one day this fall, my coworkers and I marched into work and demanded recognition for our union.
Amazon wasted no time in launching their union-busting crusade. We aren’t falling for it. They made $30 billion last year while paying us pennies. Amazon is scared of us. They see we have strength in numbers, and we’re not backing down.
Getting Amazon to recognize our union is going to take considerable community support. The day after we demanded recognition, we rallied outside of our facility with our co-workers, fellow union members, and elected officials. As we continue to fight for recognition and a Teamsters contract, we must continue to show that organized labor, officials, and the community stand with us.
We’re taking on this fight not just at one facility, but around the country. I’m proud to be standing with my fellow Amazon Teamsters in San Bernardino, California; Skokie, Illinois; Queens and Staten Island, New York; and Northern Kentucky. As our numbers grow, our power grows. We must set our sights on forcing Amazon to come to the bargaining table and win a strong contract.
This is our moment. Let’s seize it.
Institute for Policy Studies / OtherWords
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