Amazon and Starbucks Workers Stage Holiday Strikes Over Pay and Conditions

Thousands of employees demand higher wages, safer working conditions, and union recognition during peak shopping season disruptions.

Amazon faces its largest U.S. labor strike to date, with nearly 10,000 workers walking out across multiple facilities to demand union recognition, better pay, and improved working conditions.
Starbucks baristas at over 525 locations launched a five-day strike, seeking significant wage increases, better staffing, and more flexible schedules as negotiations with the company stall.
Amazon workers, represented by the Teamsters, highlight unsafe working conditions, citing the company's injury rates as double the industry average during peak seasons like the holidays.
Amazon disputes the union's claims, asserting that many striking drivers are not its direct employees but rather contractors, while continuing to resist unionization efforts.
While the strikes are expected to cause some delays, experts suggest the overall impact on holiday deliveries will be minimal due to the limited number of affected facilities.