The Californer - AMAZON TEAMSTERS PICKET TWO L.A. WAREHOUSES OVER UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 29, 2023 ~ Today, Amazon drivers from the company's DAX8 delivery station in Palmdale, Calif., picketed two Amazon warehouses in Los Angeles County. The pickets at DLX5 in Glendale and DCX7 in Torrance are part of a three-month strike over the company's unfair labor practices that has spread to warehouses around the country.

Jarrid Long, an Amazon driver and Teamsters Local 396 member from Palmdale, said "Amazon doesn't care about our safety, so we organized a union to keep ourselves safe. I've been chased by dogs. I've been close to fainting from the heat in the vans. We are on strike to put an end to Amazon's unfair labor practices, and more Amazon workers are joining the fight every day."

The strike began at Amazon's DAX8 delivery station in Palmdale on June 24th and has since spread to 16 warehouses around the country including California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Michigan, Georgia, and Massachusetts. Victor Mineros, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 396 in Los Angeles said "Since the strike started, these Amazon workers have remained united in pursuit of fair pay and safe jobs. And they are standing strong against Amazon's retaliation and its illegal refusal to recognize the union and engage in bargaining."

In April of this year 84 workers in Palmdale organized with the Teamsters becoming the first union of Amazon drivers in the country. As members of Local 396 they bargained a contract with Amazon's Delivery Service Partner (DSP), Battle-Tested Strategies (BTS). Despite having absolute control over BTS and workers' terms and conditions of employment Amazon refuses to recognize or honor their union contract instead engaging in dozens of unfair labor practices that violate federal labor law including terminating all newly organized workers.

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The strikers will continue until their demands for fair pay and safe jobs are met which includes reinstating unlawfully terminated Palmdale employees recognizing their Teamsters Union respecting their negotiated contract as well as bargaining with them to address low pay and dangerous working conditions.

In April 84 workers organized with Teamsters Local 396 becoming the first union of Amazon drivers in America. They sought protection from extreme temperatures which can exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit during Palmdale summers as well as rights for drivers to drive safe equipment and refuse unsafe deliveries.

Earlier this month however Amazon announced pay rates that fall below industry standards set by UPS Teamsters who organized a national strike threat this year forcing UPS to raise minimum warehouse wages for new hires by $5.50 an hour while all UPS Teamsters won a contract with first-year raises of at least $2.75 per hour with average top pay for Teamster drivers growing to $49 per hour.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters founded 1903 represents 1.2 million hardworking people across America Canada and Puerto Rico fighting for fair wages safe jobs better benefits improved working conditions job security retirement security health care reform workplace democracy civil rights immigration reform environmental sustainability public services public education public infrastructure economic justice corporate accountability consumer protection animal welfare social justice political action community service solidarity international solidarity human rights peace social justice economic justice racial justice gender equality LGBTQIA+ rights disability rights indigenous rights worker safety worker power worker voice worker solidarity collective bargaining collective action direct action mutual aid strikes boycotts protests rallies occupations civil disobedience direct democracy participatory democracy grassroots democracy community organizing community building coalition building alliance building solidarity networks mutual aid networks social movements social change revolutionary change radical change progressive change transformative change intersectional feminism intersectional activism intersectional organizing intersectional solidarity intersectional coalition building intersectional alliance building intersectional movement building intersectional network building global solidarity global coalition building global alliance building global movement building global network building international solidarity international coalition building international alliance building international movement building international network building

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The strikers remain resolute holding this corporate criminal accountable for its treatment of workers while millions more stand shoulder-to-shoulder supporting them against unfair labor practices until their demands are met

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