Illinois Amazon Workers Walk Out on Cyber Monday, Claim the Tech Giant Could Lose Millions of Dollars Per Minute
Employees at the Joliet, Illinois warehouse are calling for fair pay and safer working conditions for the second time in two months.
Amazon's working conditions have been under fire for a while now — and employees at the Joliet, Illinois warehouse have had enough.
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For the second time in two months, employees at the facility are calling for fair pay and safer working conditions, CBS Chicago reported, with today's protest occurring on one of Amazon's biggest sales days of the year: Cyber Monday.
Related: Amazon Workers in New York City Target a Union Vote
The Joliet warehouse is a cross-dock facility that serves as a central point for an influx of goods from vendors around the world — and it's the only one in the state.
In October, employees at the center protested during the first day of the company's fall Prime sale event, The Chicago Tribune reported. According to Warehouse Workers for Justice, the Amazon workers called for safe working conditions and a base pay rate of $25 per hour.
October's protest followed racist death threats that were allegedly scrawled on a bathroom wall at the facility in May. After the incident, some workers filed complaints with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The Joliet workers claim that shutting down their facility on Cyber Monday could cause Amazon to lose millions of dollars every minute, per CBS Chicago.
But a source familiar with the situation said there weren't any disruptions to operations. The demonstration reportedly lasted under 30 minutes.
"Despite a small demonstration initiated by outside groups, the overwhelming majority of our team members at our facility in Joliet, IL continued to do what they do every day, deliver for our customers," Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement. "While we're always listening and looking at ways to improve, we remain proud of the competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and safe work experience we provide."
Related: Amazon Accused of Illegally Interfering With Union Election
Amazon.com, Inc is down 47% year over year.
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