Report on the Amazon Teamsters’ strike in Southern California 

Amazon drivers and other workers, unionized under the Teamsters, were out on a nationwide strike this Christmas holiday week—the biggest one ever against the megacorporation. Workers at four Amazon facilities in Southern California have overwhelmingly voted to go on strike in response to the company’s ongoing refusal to bargain with them in good faith. More and more facilities held pickets each day, as the strike gained support in other facilities as well. The following reports are based on the observations of two members of the Los Angeles branch of Tempest Collective at two picket locations: DAX5, in the City of Industry (one of the official strike locations); and DPS1, an Amazon delivery facility in the nearby city of Rosemead.

City of Industry (DAX5), Michael Fabregas

The picket line had about 25 people, but there were 50-75 at another entrance to the facility. While mostly peaceful, there was occasional tension between striking workers and colleagues who didn’t support the union. Picketers engaged in conversations with drivers that slowed down delivery trucks entering and exiting. It seemed like there was a strategy of letting drivers who were sympathetic to unionization or that the union had already contacted leave without incident while holding up and attempting to dialogue with drivers they hadn’t contacted before for a brief pitch. It caused a bit of backup, but drivers seemed keen on hearing striking workers out.

There seemed to be a sense among the workers present that they were prepared for confrontation, enthusiastic about the ULP filing, quite vocal about the many abuses by Amazon, and energized for a prolonged fight. It was apparent that the strikers’ robust coordination and self-organization enabled them to handle tensions when they emerged. For example, it seemed like there was tacit acknowledgment among workers that drivers entering the facility with their signals on would be allowed in the yard. I assumed those with signals on had been previously approached by organizers, while those without signals on were to be approached for a conversation that day. One encounter turned a bit tense, but striking workers and Teamsters organizers were there to intervene. As an outsider, I had not been informed of this strategy and was left to defer to worker organizers to determine who to allow through. From what I could piece together, I understood the one confrontation to be partly the result of confusion and/or miscommunication between striking workers and those crossing the picket line. My feeling was that a commitment to a complete obstruction to entry, rather than the porous one deployed, would have been a more effective, and also provocative, strategy, a signal to those prevented from entry, not to mention those already in the facility from previous shifts, that the action could escalate into a disruptive and uncomfortable situation. This would have required a much larger contingent of picketers. Per the Teamster organizer, the City of Industry facility was not a choke point; this might provide insight as to why the action at that particular facility felt more like an isolated demonstration than a full-on blockade.

The Teamsters staff organizer on site said that the unionization drive at this site was successful, with over a majority signing, and that this line was for the various ULPs they had already filed. A Teamsters organizer told me that DAX5 is not considered a regional hub or choke point, but that actions are planned at the locations that are, like in Santa Ana and San Bernardino.

Workers recounted instances of union-busting that they experienced to me, like captive meetings and threats of retaliation for supporting the union. Many workers on the picket lines were young and appeared to be in their early 20s. DSA members showed up to support along with other community members, including former ISO activists and Jeff Cohen, the founder of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR). A Teamsters organizer was helping to advise a core of three workers who engaged in most of the conversations with the entering and exiting drivers.

Upon reflection, the action in City of Industry could have benefited from a more robust commitment to picket line militancy and solidarity from other unions. The allies who participated to whom I spoke (DSA, FAIR, a couple of leftists from the area) did not indicate they were from other unions; I assumed they were not. Being the only other union representative from any union at the location, the absence of this solidarity from my union brothers/sisters was heavy. I am a shop steward for SEIU 721 City of Los Angeles, and my union never sent out feeler emails to my unit for any of the Amazon actions, which I assume was the case for other units. If SEIU’s organizers were aware of the Amazon actions (I assume they were), they did not reach out to me, a rank-and-file shop steward. This seems to emphasize the belief that these short actions are not meant to stop production per se, but rather give the appearance that labor is doing something, get some splashy news coverage, and claim some sort of victory, however facile and superficial. It could be that these actions were cadre building efforts, as the genuine enthusiasm of the worker organizers hinted at a close core among them. They seemed committed to continued organizing through first contract negotiations.

Rosemead (DPS1), Promise Li

This picket began on Sunday, December 22, after workers picketing at DAX5 realized that their successes at the City of Industry facility were making the company divert packages to other facilities, including the locations in Rosemead and Anaheim. Unannounced pickets like the one at Rosemead have been swiftly and effectively organized to counteract the company’s attempts to recover from various key hubs, like DAX5, that have been impacted by the strike. A multi-ethnic group of two dozen Amazon drivers were on the picket around noon. I spread the word to other local activist groups in the surrounding area, like the Rosemead Tenants Union, who sent members to support. Rank-and-file Teamsters from other companies, like UPS, were also present to support.

We mainly picketed in front of the entrance, and Amazon workers engaged drivers coming out of the facility to tell them about the strike and encouraged them to join us. Many drivers seemed open to engaging in conversations with the picketers. Picketers  later told me that quite a few workers wanted to learn more about the strike and were leaving their contact information.

Some workers on the picket are currently employed at the City of Industry facility but used to work at Rosemead. One worker told me that drivers seemed more receptive at the Rosemead location than at the City of Industry one. They speculated that this is because union-busting felt much more intense at DAX5: workers were more exposed to Amazon’s anti-union propaganda through their captive audience meetings. They also mentioned that work routes were more strenuous while they were working at the Rosemead facility.

Richard Smith, a rank-and-file worker picketing at the Rosemead facility who has been working at DAX5 for the past six years, told me that working conditions at his site were bad. Workers have to hit a quota every hour in 8-9-hour shifts, and management wants workers to deliver at least 25 packages per hour. Smith mentioned that the metrics do not make any sense, and that there are many safety risks. He said that drivers delivering to residential areas and those delivering to commercial buildings are both expected to do around 190 packages a day, held to the same standard despite having very different working conditions.

Smith continued to elaborate:

drivers are constantly having to jump off the car and run around, and it’s impossible to expect drivers delivering in very different circumstances to perform at the same level. Especially when delivering to apartment buildings, drivers have to run up and down stairs quickly to meet these high standards, posing risky working conditions. Not meeting these standards would lead to managers reprimanding or even firing workers.

Smith felt optimistic about the strike, and was busy answering calls from new worker contacts from the Rosemead facility right before and after our interview. He told me that his DAX5 team at work has majority support for the union, with around 80 workers supporting in a unit of 110. But  because management continues to refuse to recognize and negotiate with them, they are out striking against unfair labor practices and not even for a contract yet.

Smith was keen to add that drivers are not just out on the picket for themselves, but for everyone working for Amazon—“custodians, line workers, and everyone else stuck on the conveyor line.” “We’re here picketing to let all the workers know they should not need to be scared out here,” Smith explained. “We all represent Amazon, and it’s time to show these big corporations that we need fair pay and benefits, especially over the holidays. It’s time for a change.”

Smith also noted that he has four children, and his 18-year-old son is out here picketing with him today. They struggle paycheck to paycheck, even though his wife also helps to provide for the family. He told me that many of his co-workers are sole providers, including a colleague who is a mother of five children. Smith said he could only imagine what their situation is like with Amazon’s low pay and meager benefits.

Featured Image credit: Joe Piette; modified by Tempest.
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