A new union arm of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has been formed to unite Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) workers.
"Our new division affords a nationwide network of resources to all Amazon workers, behind the wheel of any truck or hard at work in any facility, to strategise with the union, mobilise in their communities, and succeed together," Teamsters general president Sean O'Brien said in a statement.
According to the Teamsters, Amazon employs one-third of all warehouse workers in the United States, but is allegedly responsible for half of all workplace injuries in the sector, alleging its employees sustain serious injuries at a rate five times that of the nation's average.
"Injury rates at Amazon facilities are nearly 80% higher than all other employers in the warehousing industry," the organisation claimed.
Teamsters stated that the new Amazon Division is ready to support direct action by workers throughout the US.
Randy Korgan was named director of the new Amazon Division.
"The new Amazon Division is ready to create and support direct action by workers across the country to beat back this corporate threat to working people," Korgan said in the note.