During the Black Friday shopping frenzy, thousands of Amazon employees across more than 20 countries are gearing up for what could be one of the biggest waves of protests the retail giant has ever faced. From November 29 to December 2, workers will not only be chasing down deals but will also be chasing down justice, seeking improved workers' rights and stronger climate commitments from Amazon.
The coordinated action is spearheaded by the Make Amazon Pay campaign, which unites over 80 trade unions and advocacy groups, including UNI Global Union and Progressive International. The campaign's goal is multifaceted: it demands fair pay, the right to unionize, responsible tax practices, and significant environmental policies from Amazon. The timing aligns with the retail industry's busiest weekend, when Black Friday transitions seamlessly to Cyber Monday.
For those unfamiliar with the demands, let’s break it down. Workers say they want wages reflective of their contributions, the opportunity to organize safely without the fear of retaliation, and genuine action instead of mere promises when it relates to environmental sustainability. This year's protests are expected to occur not just across the United States but also in significant locations such as Germany, the UK, Turkey, Canada, India, Japan, and Brazil.
On the ground, UK protests are taking shape, with demonstrators planning to gather outside Amazon’s London headquarters at Bishopsgate, where tax justice campaigners intend to present a petition bearing over 110,000 signatures. This petition is directed at Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, urging the government to reckon with corporations like Amazon and eliminate tax advantages they enjoy.
Amanda Gearing, senior organizer at the GMB union, articulated the sentiment of the protests by stating, "Here in the UK, Amazon signifies everything wrong with our economy. We have insecure jobs, minimal wages, and frequently unsafe working environments. GMB won’t allow this to set the tone for the next decade of work." Her words reflect the heart of the agitation—a push against the culture of emphasizing profits over people.
Highlighting how serious this issue has become, Christy Hoffman, the General Secretary of UNI Global Union, remarked, "Amazon’s relentless pursuit of profit impacts workers, the environment, and democratic structures. While Bezos’s company has spent vast amounts to stifle union activity, the rising tide of protests around the world indicates workers’ demand for justice cannot be snuffed out."
During the protests, around 30,000 Ver.di union members are expected to strike across seven key warehouses in Germany. Likewise, French activists from ATTAC plan demonstrations across various cities, aimed at spotlighting tax fairness and the discrepancy between Amazon's immense profits and its societal responsibilities.
It's not just about rights but also about responsibilities. The campaign insists Amazon must meet its fair share of taxes. Recently, Amazon's UK division paid corporation tax for the first time since 2020 after many years of questionable accounting practices. This follows the end of the ‘super-deduction’ tax break put forth during Rishi Sunak's tenure, raising eyebrows about how corporate giants exploit legal loopholes to evade taxes.
Despite Amazon's claims of listening to workers' feedback and wanting to improve conditions, many employees and advocacy groups remain skeptical. Amazon maintains it leads the way in renewable energy procurement, asserting they matched their total electricity consumption with renewable sources last year. They point to their minimum UK salary of £28,000 for employees working four-day weeks as evidence of their efforts to provide competitive pay.
But the contradictions remain glaring. Amazon Employees for Climate Justice question the company's long-term environmental plans, accusing the corporation of lacking intermediate carbon reduction goals. They point out the reality of soaring corporate carbon emissions, which surged by 34.5% since 2019. This discrepancy raises the question: can we trust Amazon’s commitment to sustainability?
The protests’ impact could spill over from symbolic gestures to substantial disruption, echoing last year when employees across different locations staged strikes tied to similar grievances. Links between American and international labor movements are becoming stronger, establishing solidarity across continents.
More than just negotiation, these protests showcase workers' collective power and their readiness to stand against corporate might. With Black Friday now morphing from merely another shopping day to one emphasizing labor rights, shoppers might find themselves thinking twice about their purchases. The data serves as a reminder of the complex interdependencies within our global economy.
If anything is certain, it’s this: the actions from November 29 to December 2 promise to draw sharp attention to the longstanding issues affiliated with mega-corporations like Amazon and their procedural fairness. The streaming waves of demonstrators, holding banners with powerful messages, will be hard to overlook, especially during such high-profile shopping events.
So, as shoppers gear up for Black Friday, they will also be watching closely to see how Amazon responds to the chants of its workers demanding justice. Will Bezos's loyal empire bend its ears and ears this year? The world will be listening closely.
