Workers at Amazon's fulfillment center in Shakopee announced Monday that they plan to strike during the retailer's annual "Prime Day" sales event next week.
The strike was organized by the Awood Center, a Minneapolis nonprofit that supports many of the East African immigrants who have become a major source of labor for Amazon's Shakopee distribution center.
Workers plan to demonstrate outside the warehouse from 4 to 6 p.m. with participation from Seattle-based Amazon workers and elected officials. Demonstrators are calling for more job stability and advancement opportunities, better accommodation for Muslim prayer breaks and actions from Amazon to address climate change and other issues.
Around 200 employees are expected to participate in the strike – roughly a fifth of the 1,000 employees at the warehouse.
Amazon Spokeswoman Brenda Alfred told the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal that the company has already met many of the group's demands, including increasing pay to at least $15 per hour, paid education, promotional opportunities and more.
"We encourage anyone to compare our pay, benefits and workplace to other retailers and major employers in the Shakopee community and across the country – and we invite anyone to see for themselves by taking a tour of the facility," Alfred said in an email.
Workers at Amazon's Shakopee facility have been clashing with the company for the last year. They first protested in 2018 over steep productivity requirements and other concerns. This was likely one of the first fights between Amazon and its employees, and it brought the company to the negotiating table.
Until now, Bloomberg reports, Amazon's U.S. workers haven't walked off the job during key sales days. About 250 union pilots who haul packages for Amazon and DHL Worldwide Express staged a brief strike in the lead-up to Thanksgiving in 2016 before a federal judge ordered them back to work, eliminating any disruptions during the peak holiday shopping season.
Amazon has more than 100 fulfillment centers across the U.S. and does not anticipate much disruption from the strike.
"We expect our associates will remain focused on delivering the best customer experience on our biggest ever Prime Day," Alfred told the Biz Journal. "Additionally, Amazon has a well-developed fulfillment network across the country and we do not anticipate any disruption to customer shipments."
