EAST POINT, Ga. — Some workers at the ATL6 Amazon facility in East Point say they're tired of being laid off, driving subpar trucks and receiving low wages -- and they want to unionize to address it.
“Its not right for us to be retaliated against for organizing," Ron Sewell told 11Alive.
Sewell has worked at the Amazon facility in the Fulton County community for six years. He now says something’s got to give.
“In the summer when its hot, it's burning up," he described. "I just left out of there about 30 to 40 minutes ago. I was sweating all over. Coming outside, it's more comfortable."
In addition to the sweltering heat, Sewell says his wages haven’t changed much since he started.
Jessie Moreno is with the teamsters union out of Southern California.
He’s traveling across the country supporting Amazon workers who want to organize because he knows there’s strength in numbers.
“The working people we are just tired of it," he told 11Alive. "Enough is enough, and we’re going to stand together no matter what business you’re in because its time for these corporations to pay us."
The show of solidarity comes less than 24 hours after UPS and nearly 340,000 unionized workers struck a deal that averted a potential strike that would have disrupted deliveries for businesses and households nationwide.
Labor experts said the showdown at UPS was a demonstration of labor power at a time of low U.S. union membership. Unions have grown more active this summer thanks to several organized-labor pushes at major companies.
Hollywood actors and screenwriters are picketing over pay issues. United Auto Workers are considering a potential strike.
Kevin Ketels is a global supply chain management expert at Wayne State University. He explained changes in technology and demand are a main force driving the way labor negotiations are being handled these days.
“As technology changes and the world changes, I think we’re going to see more of these potential strikes or strikes to align between management and workers,” he predicted.
Several unions came out to support the Amazon workers.
Amazon has provided a statement in response to the workers' wish to unionize and allegations of retaliation:
[insert statement]
Material from the Associated Press contributed to this report.