Strike Solidarity: WGA Turns Out For Teamsters Picket Line At Amazon In Santa Clarita
15.07.2023 - 00:57
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: The Teamsters Union has been supporting the Writers Guild of America (WGA) for the last 75 days across Hollywood and the scribes have returned the favor.
Deadline understands that a group of WGA members, around 50 writers, joined a picket line at an Amazon warehouse in Santa Clarita, California, to support the Amazon drivers and dispatchers in their own dispute.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represent over 1M workers in the U.S. have been picketing Amazon warehouses across the U.S. since June 24 including at locations in California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Michigan.
The union is fighting against low pay and dangerous working conditions and the Teamsters Local 396 have been bargaining with Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner and Battle-Tested Strategies to recognize and honor the union contract since April. However, they say that Amazon has engaged in unfair labor practices in violation of federal labor law, including terminating the entire unit of newly organized workers.
The Teamsters, themselves, have supported the television and film writers over the past two months, refusing to cross picket lines.
WGA member Chris Hazzard said that the last few months have shown that LA is a union town and all workers are out to support each other. “The WGA specifically has just received so much support from the Teamsters, that our membership was very happy to support them in any way we can. Today that was helping local 396,” he told Deadline.
“Since this strike started on June 24, these Amazon workers have remained united in pursuit of fair pay and safe jobs,” said Victor Mineros, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 396 in Los Angeles. “Despite Amazon’s illegal refusal to