Amazon workers in 3 US warehouses staged walkouts as they seek $3 raises and 20-minute breaks, reports say

March 17, 2022

Amazon workers in 3 US warehouses staged walkouts as they seek $3 raises and 20-minute breaks, reports say

Amazon warehouse — Amazon workers at three warehouses (not pictured) staged walkouts Wednesday.
THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images

Over 60 Amazon workers at three warehouses in New York and Maryland staged a walkout.
They are seeking a $3 hourly increase to their wages to keep pace with inflation.
They are also demanding Amazon reinstate its pandemic-era policy of 20-minute breaks.

Amazon workers at three warehouses staged walkouts Wednesday demanding higher pay and longer breaks, Vice reports.

Night-shift workers at two warehouses in New York and one warehouse in Maryland walked out in protest. One Long Island City worker told Vice the workers shut down their warehouse's conveyor belt before walking out.

The protesting workers join a growing chorus of employee activism at Amazon. The e-retail giant is currently facing union elections at facilities in Alabama and New York.

The workers told Vice they are seeking a $3 hourly increase to their wages, which range from $15.75 to $17.25, to keep up with rising costs of living.

The workers also called for a re-institution of 20-minute breaks, Vice reported. Amazon brought in 20-minute breaks as a pandemic measure to allow workers more time to adhere to rules such as social distancing, but has since cut them back to the 15 minutes that were previously allotted.

—Amazonians United New York City (@NYCAmazonians) March 16, 2022

In total, over 60 workers walked out across the three warehouses, Vice reported. Huffington Post reporter Dave Jamieson reported the Maryland walkout, which consisted of roughly 30 workers, was the majority of the shift.

One Maryland worker told Vice many warehouse employees work multiple jobs. "People are hurting themselves on this job. Their bodies are breaking down," the worker added.

"We're proud to offer industry leading pay, competitive benefits, and the opportunity for all to grow within the company," Kelly Nantel, director of national media relations at Amazon, told Vice.

"While there are many established ways of ensuring we hear the opinions of our employees inside our business, we also respect the right for some to make their opinions known externally," Nantel added.

Amazon did not immediately respond when contacted by Insider for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider