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Teamsters union launches division to help Amazon workers after branding company “one of the world’s most dangerous employers”

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Teamsters union launches new division to help Amazon workers

One of the biggest labor unions in the United States has launched a new division focused on helping Amazon employees.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters called Amazon "one of the world’s most dangerous employers" and said its new arm would work to unite Amazon employees, secure workplace protections in the warehouse and defend workers from "unchecked exploitation."

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Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said: "For 120 years, the Teamsters have proudly and ferociously protected transportation, logistics, and delivery workers, and we refuse to allow Amazon to continue to abuse and disrespect the more than one million Americans it employs."

"The Teamsters are best positioned to coordinate and secure guaranteed protections for these workers, and Amazon knows it. Our new division affords a nationwide network of resources to all Amazon workers, behind the wheel of any truck or hard at work in any facility, to strategize with the union, mobilize in their communities, and succeed together."

The Teamsters Union claimed that it already provides services to 340,000 UPS employees, many of whom have jobs that are comparable to those at Amazon.

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The pay, benefits, and retirement security of UPS employees have been given priority in their unionization efforts.

Randy Korgan, who has more than 30 years of experience in the field and is currently the Secretary-Treasurer and Principal Officer, will be in charge of the new division.

He said: "For Teamsters, and the labor movement as a whole, Amazon poses an existential threat to the rights and standards that our members have fought for and won for over 100 years,"

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Korgan said in a statement: "The new Amazon Division is ready to create and support direct action by workers across the country to beat back this corporate threat to working people."

Amazon has tried to curb unionizing activities since employees organized their first union in April at a warehouse on Staten Island in New York.

Workers at a warehouse near Albany are being urged to hold union elections by the Amazon Labor Union, an independent organization that orchestrated the successful unionization.

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While the company did not support employees' efforts to form unions, according to Amazon spokesperson Paul Flanagan, it did not dissuade them either.

Dozens of Amazon warehouses across the country have initiated or expressed support for unionization efforts.

Source: Foxbusiness

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