AMAZON warehouse workers walked off the job at an air freight facility in San Bernardino, California, demanding better pay and working conditions, reports CNN Business.
The walkout workers call themselves the Inland Empire amazon Workers United and declared that 150 employees participated.
Amazon, however, disputes the figure and stated that 74 workers took part in the walkout.
Regardless, the demonstrators represent less than 15 per cent of the 1,500 total employees at the Amazon air facility.
'Working in the heat feels like you are suffocating,' said a worker identified as Melissa Ojeda.
'You need to take breaks, and you can overheat really easily. They don't make it easy to take breaks to allow your body to cool down.'
Amazon representative Paul Flaningan declared that the company is 'proud to provide full-time employees at our San Bernardino Air Hub and throughout the region a minimum starting wage of US$17 an hour.'
Mr Flaningan added that full-time employees can earn up to $19.25 an hour and also receive 'industry-leading benefits including health care from day one, 401(k) with 50 per cent company match, and up to 20 weeks paid parental leave.'
'While there are many established ways of ensuring we hear the opinions of our employees inside our business, we also respect their right to make their opinions known externally,' said Mr Flaningan.
'While we're always listening and looking at ways to improve, we remain proud of the competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and engaging, safe work experience we provide our teams in the region.'
The walkout comes in the wake of unionising efforts at other Amazon facilities.
The ongoing organising efforts inside Amazon continue to draw support from labour advocates and progressive politicians around the country, including Senator Bernie Sanders.
'I stand in solidarity with the Amazon workers in San Bernardino who walked off the job today to protest low wages & unsafe working conditions,' said Mr Sanders
'If Amazon can afford to pay its CEO $214 million last year, it can afford to give their workers a $5 an hour raise and a safe workplace.'
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The walkout workers call themselves the Inland Empire amazon Workers United and declared that 150 employees participated.
Amazon, however, disputes the figure and stated that 74 workers took part in the walkout.
Regardless, the demonstrators represent less than 15 per cent of the 1,500 total employees at the Amazon air facility.
'Working in the heat feels like you are suffocating,' said a worker identified as Melissa Ojeda.
'You need to take breaks, and you can overheat really easily. They don't make it easy to take breaks to allow your body to cool down.'
Amazon representative Paul Flaningan declared that the company is 'proud to provide full-time employees at our San Bernardino Air Hub and throughout the region a minimum starting wage of US$17 an hour.'
Mr Flaningan added that full-time employees can earn up to $19.25 an hour and also receive 'industry-leading benefits including health care from day one, 401(k) with 50 per cent company match, and up to 20 weeks paid parental leave.'
'While there are many established ways of ensuring we hear the opinions of our employees inside our business, we also respect their right to make their opinions known externally,' said Mr Flaningan.
'While we're always listening and looking at ways to improve, we remain proud of the competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and engaging, safe work experience we provide our teams in the region.'
The walkout comes in the wake of unionising efforts at other Amazon facilities.
The ongoing organising efforts inside Amazon continue to draw support from labour advocates and progressive politicians around the country, including Senator Bernie Sanders.
'I stand in solidarity with the Amazon workers in San Bernardino who walked off the job today to protest low wages & unsafe working conditions,' said Mr Sanders
'If Amazon can afford to pay its CEO $214 million last year, it can afford to give their workers a $5 an hour raise and a safe workplace.'
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