Starbucks workers in the United States went on strike on Red Cup Day, the coffee giant's biggest sales event of the season. The strike, organized by the labor union Workers United, aimed to demand better working conditions, including higher pay, more co-workers, and the ability to receive tips. Despite most stores remaining open, workers at dozens of stores participated in the strike, facing high pressure and dealing with angry customers due to long wait times. This is not the first time Starbucks workers have gone on strike on Red Cup Day, as last year, workers at over 100 Starbucks stores also participated in a strike. Starbucks recently announced a 3% increase in hourly pay for US retail workers starting from 2024, but employees criticized this move as insensitive.
Meanwhile, Amazon is facing significant strike actions on Black Friday, with workers protesting for better working conditions and higher wages. The strike is expected to be the largest in Amazon's history, with employees from various locations participating. The workers are demanding improved safety measures, shorter working hours, and increased pay. The strike comes at a crucial time for Amazon, as Black Friday is one of the busiest shopping days of the year. The company has faced criticism in the past for its treatment of workers, and this strike highlights ongoing concerns about labor conditions at Amazon.
In addition to the strikes in the United States, Amazon is also facing strikes in Europe during Black Friday. Over 1,000 workers went on strike at an Amazon hub in Coventry, England, demanding higher wages and better working conditions. Industrial action also affected five out of the company's 20 logistic sites in Germany, and workers at the Amazon hub in Piacenza, Italy, joined the strike. The strikes in Europe come as Amazon faces pressure to improve pay and conditions for warehouse staff. The GMB union in the UK stated that Amazon's pay offer is still far below workers' expectations. These strikes in Europe are inspiring Amazon workers worldwide to demand change.
Amazon faced worker strikes at multiple locations in Europe on Black Friday, organized by the 'Make Amazon Pay' campaign. Strikes took place in over 30 countries and lasted from Black Friday to Monday. In Germany, around 2,000 workers went on strike, affecting six Amazon fulfillment centers. The German trade union Verdi reported that 500 workers at a warehouse in Rheinberg and 250 workers in Leipzig participated in the strike. Workers demanded a pay rise to £15 per hour, while Amazon stated that pay would increase to £12.30-£13 per hour from April 2024. The strikes aimed to protest for higher pay and better working conditions.
Amazon has also faced recent scrutiny for its treatment of workers in Saudi Arabia. The company has agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging abuse and human rights violations against its contract workers in Saudi Arabia. Amazon will pay $1.9 million to the affected workers, who complained about poor living conditions, salary irregularities, and delays in disbursement. The settlement will be shared among 700 migrant contract workers after deducting legal assistance fees. Amazon hired a third-party labor rights expert to investigate the workers and warehouse conditions, revealing multiple violations in the supply chain standards. The workers had to pay up to $2,040 to get hired and faced overcrowded living accommodations with infested beds and a lack of basic facilities. This settlement is part of a series of lawsuits against Amazon for its treatment of employees, including rest and meal break issues and alleged theft of driver tips. Working conditions at Amazon have been the subject of numerous lawsuits, with many resulting in settlements.
In California, Amazon has been fined $5.9 million by the California Labor Commissioner for failing to properly inform workers of productivity quotas at two warehouses. The fines were issued in May and were announced by the office of California Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower. Amazon violated a 2022 California law that requires employers to provide written descriptions of quotas to workers if they can be disciplined for failing to complete jobs at a specified speed. The violations occurred nearly 60,000 times in a five-month period ending in March at warehouses in Moreno Valley and Redlands. Amazon is appealing the citations and denies having fixed quotas for warehouse workers. The alleged quota system has been a focus of a nationwide campaign to unionize Amazon's warehouses.
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