Amazon workers walk off the job in New Jersey: reports
The protest occurred outside an Amazon delivery station in Bellmawr, which is set to close this month
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Amazon workers at a delivery facility in Bellmawr, New Jersey, reportedly staged a walkout on Wednesday, accusing the online retail giant of not keeping its word regarding job transfers to other facilities.
Workers at an Amazon delivery facility in New Jersey reported staged a walkout Wednesday morning. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMZN | AMAZON.COM INC. | 201.70 | -0.91 | -0.45% |
WHYY-FM reported that the Bellmawr location, known as DEW8, is slated for closure by the end of this month, and ten workers at the facility walked off the job Wednesday morning. According to the outlet, one worker said there were typically 45 employees at any given shift at DEW8.
The protesting DEW8 workers were joined outside the facility by dozens of supporters, including Amazon employees from other facilities and members of the Teamsters union.
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The protesting workers told WHYY they had previously been told by Amazon that most of them would be transferred to a facility 11 miles away upon the closure of Bellmawr, but that many of them have instead been transferred to Amazon facilities "much further away." They are demanding to keep their current work schedules and to be given dollar-an-hour raises to make up for the cost of their further commute.
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Other workers told WPSG-TV they were protesting the closure of the Bellmawr facility altogether, with one saying they felt like Amazon was treating them like "warehouse machinery" rather than people. Live footage from the outlet showed dozens of people gathered outside the delivery plant, with some holding signs.
An Amazon spokesperson told FOX Business that the employees at Bellmawr are being offered opportunities to work at five different sites that are as close as nine miles from their current location.
"We regularly look at how we can improve the experience for our employees, partners, drivers and customers, and that includes upgrading our facilities," Amazon spokesperson Maria Boschetti said in a statement.
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"As part of that effort, we’ll be closing one of our facilities in Bellmawr and offering all employees the opportunity to transfer to five different delivery stations close by," Boschetti continued. "These facilities provide upgraded amenities, including increased on-site parking, larger operational spaces, and better breakrooms with open market vending."