California Amazon Workers Get Solidarity at North Haven Warehouse Picket

Connecticut union members and community supporters came out strong in solidarity with striking Amazon delivery drivers and dispatchers from Palmdale, California as the Teamsters extended their picket line to the North Haven, Connecticut warehouse on July 7.

Teamsters from Boston, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey were among those who converged at the Washington Ave. warehouse in the midst of a heat wave, holding signs demanding a $30 an hour wage.

Walking the picket line, Mark, a retired Teamster, said Amazon has hurt small businesses and is responsible for many workers losing their jobs. “Bezos has the money to go to space. They should be able to pay reasonable wages.”

Also showing up in support were members of the Magisoul Drumline from Hartford who performed at the picket line outside the Amazon plant. The members, all high school students, said that they were there to show solidarity with the picketing workers.

“We don’t work here,” one of them said, “but we have worked at Walmart and other places and the working conditions are all the same. They ask you for an arm and leg but don’t give anything in return.”

The Palmdale strikers are demanding the e-commerce giant stop its unfair labor practices. In a press release the Teamsters pledged that “the growing strike will continue until Amazon reinstates the unlawfully terminated Palmdale employees, recognizes the Teamsters, respects the contract negotiated by the workers, and bargains with the Teamsters Union to address low pay and dangerous working conditions.”

“I’ve been bitten by a dog and felt close to fainting in the back of Amazon’s sweltering vans, but Amazon only cares about whether the packages get delivered,” said Cecilia Porter, a striking Amazon driver from California. “Our safety is not Amazon’s priority, so we are protecting ourselves by organizing a union. We are going to continue our unfair labor practice strike until Amazon respects our rights.”

Asked why she came to Connecticut, Porter told the People's World , "we're extending our picket line to every Amazon. Wherever they are we'll be there.”

Amazon drivers and dispatchers began their unfair labor practice strike at an Amazon delivery station in Palmdale on June 24.for fair pay and safe jobs, but Amazon illegally refused to recognize their union or bargain with them.