Amazon workers in India take part in strike on Black Friday for better wages and working conditions

NEW DELHI (AP) — Amazon employees in India have joined a strike demanding better pay and working conditions as the company prepares for one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.

Around 200 warehouse workers and delivery drivers gathered in the capital New Delhi under the slogan “Make Amazon Pay”. Some donned masks of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and banded together against the Seattle-based company’s practices.

The Black Friday strike, which begins one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year, was repeated at Amazon warehouses in other countries as workers demanded higher wages, better working conditions and union rights.

“Our basic salary is 10,000 rupees ($120), which should be at least 25,000 rupees ($295),” said Manish Kumar, 25, a warehouse worker who joined the protest in New Delhi. “And it’s an environment where you can work under pressure,” he added.

Nitesh Das, a union leader, said the workers took to the streets because they wanted the government to take up their cause.

In a statement released in India, Amazon accused workers of “intentionally misleading and continuing to spread a false narrative.”

“Our facilities are industry-leading, offering competitive wages, comfortable working conditions and purpose-built infrastructure to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for all,” the company said.

“We have created more than 1.5 million jobs worldwide and counting, and we offer a modern, safe and engaging workplace, whether you work in an office or in one of our operational buildings.”

A statement from the Amazon India Workers Union said similar protests were planned in other parts of India and in other countries, including the United States, Germany, Japan and Brazil. The demonstrations would call on Amazon to pay its workers fairly, respect their right to join unions and commit to environmental sustainability, it said.

The union said it would submit a memorandum to Indian Labor Minister Mansukh Mandaviya highlighting its demands.

The gig economy has become huge in India due to rapid economic growth, but workers face low wages and difficult working conditions.

India’s National Human Rights Commission sent a notice to Amazon in June 2023 after local media reported that workers were forced to work without breaks during the hot summer season. Amazon India denied the allegation.