The Teamsters Take Amazon | The Upsurge

Read the transcript of this podcast: <br /><br />Amazon: The company we hate to love, for its convenient next-day deliveries, and we love to hate, for its egregious treatment of the workers that execute that miracle.It really needs no introduction. Amazon is a corporate giant with 1.5 million employees, most of which are in the Teamsters’ bread and butter industry: logistics, meaning warehouse workers and delivery drivers. Only, these workers are almost entirely non-union. But the problem with Amazon is not just its own non-union pay and working conditions. Left unchecked, Amazon may just start a race to the bottom for the working class as a whole.The Teamsters, alongside other unions and worker collectives, are trying to change that. And in April earlier this year, 84 of Amazon’s delivery drivers and dispatchers in Palmdale, California joined Teamsters Local 396 and won a first contract. This is a huge deal, but it’s not an uncomplicated victory.In this episode, you’ll hear from one of those Amazon drivers, Arturo Solezano, about their working conditions, and why he and his now-union siblings joined the Teamsters. We also spoke with Alex Press, staff writer at Jacobin magazine, who unpacked why Amazon is a threat that needs to be taken seriously by the Teamsters and the rest of organized labor. Finally, you’ll hear an update on UPS contract negotiations from Greg Kerwood, a package car delivery driver from Teamsters Local 25 in Boston. Additional links/info below…<br /><ul><li>Support the show at <a href="https://www.patreon.com/upsurgepod" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Patreon.com/upsurgepod</a>.</li><li>Follow us on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/upsurgepod" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">@upsurgepod</a>, Facebook, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/upsurgepod" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Upsurge</a>, and YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@upsurgepod/feature" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">@upsurgepod</a>.</li><li>Check out Alex Press’s <a href="https://jacobin.com/2023/02/teamsters-ups-contract-negotiation-strike-sean-obrien-rank-and-file" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">article on the UPS contract campaign</a> in Jacobin magazine, and Teddy’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4e8jI_qzro" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">video collaboration with More Perfect Union</a> on why UPSers may strike this August.</li></ul>Hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/TeddyOstrow" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Teddy Ostrow</a> <br />Edited by Teddy Ostrow<br />Produced by NYGP &amp; Ruby Walsh, in partnership with <a href="https://inthesetimes.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">In These Times</a> &amp; <a href="https://therealnews.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Real News</a><br />Music by <a href="https://caseygallagher.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Casey Gallagher</a><br />Cover art by <a href="https://www.imanclaro.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Devlin Claro Resetar</a> <br /><br />Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer: <br />Donate: <a href="https://therealnews.com/donate-pod" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://therealnews.com/donate-pod</a><br />Sign up for our newsletter: <a href="https://therealnews.com/newsletter-pod" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://therealnews.com/newsletter-pod</a><br />Like us on Facebook: <a href="https://facebook.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://facebook.com/therealnews</a><br />Follow us on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/therealnews</a><br /><br /><br />Become a supporter of this podcast: <a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=rss">https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.</a><br /><b></b><br /><b>Follow us on:</b><br /><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/therealnews.com" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bluesky: @therealnews.com</a><b><br /></b><a href="https://facebook.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Facebook: The Real News Network</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Twitter: @TheRealNews</a><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">YouTube: @therealnews</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/therealnewsnetwork/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork</a><br /><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"><b></b></a><br /><b></b><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"><b>Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!</b></a>