Amazon workers in more than 20 countries plan Black Friday strikes and protests

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

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 U.S., Brazil, Germany, Japan and the U.K., the groups said in a statement. Thousands of workers in Germany will strike in cities including 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, aiming to raise awareness of what they describe as Amazon’s “anti-worker and anti-democratic practices.” 

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

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

Referring to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, she added, “Bezos’s company has spent untold millions to stop workers from organizing, but the strikes and protests happening around the world show that workers’ desire for justice — for union representation — can’t be stopped.”

Amazon defended its treatment of workers. 

“These groups represent a variety of interests, and while we’re always listening and looking at ways to improve, we remain proud of the competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and engaging, safe work experience we provide our teams,” Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards said in a statement. 

It’s the fifth year that the groups have organized protests and strikes targeting Amazon on Black Friday. Previous years have featured Amazon workers marching outside Bezos’ penthouse in the New York City’s Flatiron district.