Teamsters union members picket outside Chatt's Amazon, joining many others across the US

From Local 3 News: The labor union Teamsters have launched what they say is the largest strike against Amazon in history.

Workers are on the picket lines at some Amazon facilities in New York, Illinois, Georgia, and California.

The strikes aren't just happening on a national level; union members are also picketing locally at the Amazon Fulfillment Center here in Chattanooga.

Amazon officials were expected to show up to the table for contract bargaining four days ago.

That didn't happen, and now members of Teamsters are protesting outside of Amazon Fulfillment Centers across the country.

Mitchell Vann, a Principal Officer of Teamsters Local 1129, and a few other union members traveled to Chattanooga from Cartersville, Georgia to protest.

"We are here supporting the nationwide movement for recognition from Amazon. Amazon has failed to come to the bargaining table for 25+ Teamsters locations across the United States. They have violated the law, and it's an unfair labor practice law they violated," Vann said.

Teamsters claims that nearly 10,000 Amazon drivers and warehouse workers have joined their union.

An Amazon spokesperson statement said the claim is false. It reads in part, "For more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public; claiming that they represent 'thousands of Amazon employees and drivers'. They don't, and this is another attempt to push a false narrative."

Vann said they need Amazon to come to the table:
"In order to get more people involved with the Teamsters organization and the Teamsters Union and to protect them and their benefits, their pay, their wages," Vann said.
Currently, the union is not a part of the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Chattanooga, but Teamsters wants to change that.

"Today, we are trying to show the people in Tennessee, the people of Chattanooga, that we are here to support them. That eventually, we are going to get to this fulfillment center. We are going to try to organize these guys to get them to be a part of the Teamsters movement," Vann said.

While picketing outside of the Chattanooga location, Vann said they heard from various employees about the rough working conditions, the unfairness, and other things happening inside of the center.

"It's time for Amazon to come to the table and bargain with the Teamsters. For far too long, they have treated people badly. They have disrespected their workforce; they have not been a good corporate citizen to Tennessee and to other locations across the United States. This is the time they need to sit down and bargain to provide people with the benefits and the pay they deserve," Vann said.

Read the full Amazon statement below from Amazon Spokesperson Kelly Nantel:
“For more than a year now, the Teamsters have continued to intentionally mislead the public – claiming that they represent ‘thousands of Amazon employees and drivers’. They don’t, and this is another attempt to push a false narrative. The truth is that the Teamsters have actively threatened, intimidated, and attempted to coerce Amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them, which is illegal and is the subject of multiple pending unfair labor practice charges against the union."

“What you see here are almost entirely outsiders—not Amazon employees or partners—and the suggestion otherwise is just another lie from the Teamsters. The truth is that they were unable to get enough support from our employees and partners and have brought in outsiders to come and harass and intimidate our team, which is inappropriate and dangerous. We appreciate all our team’s great work to serve their customers and communities, and are continuing to focus on getting customers their holiday orders.”