Amazon workers worldwide are preparing for protests and strikes on **Black Friday**, one of the peak shopping days in the calendar.
This **global initiative**, coordinated by UNI Global Union, representing service industry workers, in collaboration with the activist organization Progressive International, seeks to shed light on Amazon’s treatment of its workforce. Employees from over 20 nations are anticipated to engage in strikes and demonstrations, with actions continuing into **Cyber Monday**, another significant shopping day for online commerce.
Planned activities involve strikes in major cities throughout the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Brazil. Highlighted events consist of thousands of warehouse workers staging walkouts in Germany, garment workers in Bangladesh striking, and a rally in New Delhi where workers will advocate for fair treatment in response to heatwave-related challenges encountered earlier this year.
### **Protesters Unite to ‘Make Amazon Pay’**
The protests are coordinated under the campaign slogan **”Make Amazon Pay”**, aiming to showcase what the organizers label as Amazon’s “anti-worker and anti-democratic” actions. The campaign addresses concerns such as labor violations, environmental damage, and the company’s impact on democratic processes through corporate influence.
“Amazon’s unyielding chase for profits comes at the expense of workers, the environment, and democracy,” remarked Christy Hoffman, General Secretary of UNI Global Union. “Bezos’s enterprise has invested countless millions to prevent workers from organizing, yet the strikes and demonstrations occurring globally prove that workers’ quest for justice – for union representation – is unstoppable.”
Hoffman further stated, “We stand in solidarity demanding that Amazon treats its workforce justly, honors fundamental rights, and ceases undermining the systems designed to safeguard us all. ‘Make Amazon Pay Day’ is becoming a worldwide act of resistance against Amazon’s misuse of power.”
The campaign has attracted backing from over 80 unions, environmental entities, and activist organizations, including Greenpeace, **350.org**, and Amazon Workers International. Demonstrators are urging Amazon to provide fair wages, pledge to environmental sustainability, respect employees’ rights to organize, and fulfill their fair share of taxes.
### **Amazon’s Reaction**
In light of the impending protests, an Amazon representative commented, “These groups represent a diverse range of interests, and while we are always attentive to feedback and looking for improvements, we are proud of the competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and the engaging, safe work environment we offer our teams.”
Despite Amazon’s assertions, the company has faced considerable backlash regarding its labor policies. In 2022, warehouse workers in Staten Island made headlines by being the first Amazon unit to effectively vote to establish a union. Amazon reportedly allocated millions toward anti-union campaigns to counter these initiatives. A documentary detailing the Staten Island unionization efforts was released this year, although the filmmakers encountered challenges in securing a distributor due to Amazon’s expanding influence in Hollywood through its Prime Video streaming service.
### **An Expanding Movement**
This year marks the fifth consecutive occasion on which Amazon employees have staged strikes during Black Friday. Organizers are optimistic that the coordinated international protests will compel the retail giant to revise its practices.
“By consolidating our movements across borders, we can not only pressure Amazon to amend its policies but also lay the groundwork for a world that values human dignity over Jeff Bezos’ wealth,” stated Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, Co-General Coordinator of Progressive International. “Amazon is omnipresent, but so are we.”