ⓒ The Canadian Press
Amazon employees in India participated in a strike on Black Friday, demanding improved wages and working conditions as the e-commerce giant gears up for its peak shopping season. Approximately 200 warehouse workers and delivery drivers assembled in New Delhi, displaying a “Make Amazon Pay” banner and wearing masks of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to protest the company’s practices.
The demonstration, coinciding with the start of the major Black Friday shopping weekend, mirrored similar actions at Amazon facilities globally. Workers across various countries are united in their calls for increased wages, better working environments, and the right to unionize.
A warehouse worker, Manish Kumar, highlighted the stark disparity between current wages and their demands. He stated that their current base salary of 10,000 rupees ($120 CAD) is insufficient and should be raised to at least 25,000 rupees ($295 CAD), emphasizing the stressful work conditions.
Union leader Nitesh Das explained that the workers’ demonstration aims to pressure the Indian government to address their concerns. The Amazon India Workers Union announced plans for similar protests in other regions of India and internationally, including the United States, Germany, Japan, and Brazil. These protests will focus on fair wages, union rights, and environmental sustainability.
The union intends to present a formal memorandum outlining its demands to India’s Labor Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The rapid expansion of India’s gig economy, fueled by the country’s economic growth, has unfortunately resulted in low wages and challenging working conditions for many.
This issue gained attention in June 2023 when India’s National Human Rights Commission issued a notice to Amazon following reports of workers enduring excessive workloads without breaks during the summer heat. Amazon India refuted these allegations.
