Amazon Union Workers

Textes and photography by Delphine Lefebvre

Worldwide, nearly 15% of workers are unionized, representing just over half a billion people. Despite this, workers’ rights are eroding across the globe.

In the United States—one of the countries with a history of social struggles where May Day has its origins—union membership is particularly low. The latest report from the ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) actually lists the United States among the countries to watch regarding workers’ rights.

Amazon, a multinational corporation founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, is now the second-largest private employer in the U.S., with over one million employees.
Like many American companies, the e-commerce giant openly opposes unionization, stating that it prefers to resolve issues directly with employees rather than through a union.

This report travels across several states to meet Amazon workers who are trying by every means possible to unionize. It’s a complicated reality in the face of union-busting—a practice in which the United States excels and which the company pursues relentlessly at great expense.

Through this photographic project, I highlight the challenges facing the labor movement in the United States for the world of tomorrow.

-series produced with the support of the Lagardère Grant

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Amazon US-1
Amazon delivery drivers form part of the supply chain. However, they are not employed by Amazon, even though they wear the company’s uniforms
Southern California is one of the regions with the highest number of Amazon workers unionized under the Teamsters, one of the country’s largest and oldest unions. Founded in 1903, the union now has nearly 1.3 million members, including 75,000 new members in 2024. Here in South Gate, Los Angeles County, members of Local 396 are waiting for delivery drivers returning from work to collect signatures in support of unionization. That evening, the response was quite positive.
Nannette has been working at Amazon for over 10 years. For years, she has been trying to form an independent union called “Union for Amazon.” To improve her chances, she tried twice to file union authorization cards with the NLRB under the name “Amazon Labor Union” in an effort to unionize. She’s been very creative in her efforts to raise awareness among her coworkers (postcards, promotional gifts, etc.), but this led the company to target her, and some of her coworkers accused her of lying. After being injured on the job, she has been on sick leave for several months but is no longer receiving any benefits from Amazon. Thanks to her husband, who works for a union, she at least has some protection. She has just completed her second semester of sociology studies so she can continue her advocacy in a different way to help workers.
On average, an Amazon delivery driver works 40 hours a week. However, there is no paid time off; if employees want to go on “vacation,” they have to work extra hours to earn PTO (paid time off).
Warehouse BHVM1. This is where one of the biggest union battles at Amazon took place in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a highly publicized struggle that then-President Joe Biden supported, stating, “The choice to join a union belongs to the workers, point.” though he did not tip the scales in favor of a “yes” vote. In 2022, a second vote took place but did not result in a victory.
Strike outside ONT1 in California. Stationary picket lines are prohibited, the workers are walking back and forth in front of the warehouse entrance. On that day, deliveries were halted for 6 hours.
Union busting is very common in the United States, particularly among large corporations such as Amazon. A person known as a “union buster” is paid $300 an hour to spread anti-union propaganda, while an employee is paid $22 an hour for work that generates profit. In the past, unions were banned and viewed as criminals and conspirators.
Each delivery driver starts the day by loading their vehicle themselves before heading out on deliveries. Organization is important because it saves time for the rest of the day and thus makes the job easier. “It’s like a game of Tetris.”
A 30-minute break in a parking lot. Two other 15-minute breaks are normally scheduled during the day, but as is often the case, due to time constraints, they will not be taken.
Gaspard has witnessed Amazon's entire evolution, having started in 2012 at the very first warehouse in California. Today he works at KSBD, where planes arriving from Asia unload their cargo before it is redistributed across the North American continent.
The Teamsters have 316 local chapters across the country; here in Covina, near Los Angeles, after a meeting on Sunday. As in France, union activism sometimes takes precedence over family life.
North Carolina has the lowest percentage of unionized workers (1.5%) and is also one of the worst states in the country for unionization. It is what is known as a “right-to-work” state, with very limited protections for unions and workers’ wages. RDU1 warehouse in Garner, NC.
Orin, an organizer with the independent union Carolina Amazonians United for Solidarity and Empowerment (CAUSE), at the end of a leafleting session in front of the SNC3 warehouse in North Carolina.
In the United States, “union culture” is not very prevalent. Historic struggles, such as the Ludlow strike, are never mentioned in the so-called general history of the country, and there has been little intergenerational transmission of this knowledge. As a result, the biggest challenge facing the labor movement in the U.S. today is to educate workers and raise their awareness of the class struggle. Unions are now reaching out to universities to educate young people about labor law and remind them that unions are there to protect them—contrary to what Amazon promotes in its warehouses.
To bring more workers together, CAUSE is organizing an evening of poetry and song where everyone can express themselves. Although activism is at the heart of the event, it’s also a wonderful moment of solidarity and sharing—essential for continuing the fight. The next day, Sunday, some workers start at 6 a.m., because Amazon never stops operating except for four days a year: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, and the Fourth of July.
Mary Hill, president and founder of CAUSE, also known as “Ma Mary.” At 72 years old, and after surviving cancer, she still works at 6 a.m. in an Amazon warehouse. CAUSE opposes the Teamsters; according to them, the union just wants to increase its membership without really taking Amazon employees into account or listening to them. This sentiment is shared by other union activists across the country.
Gloves were not included in the standard uniform for Amazon delivery drivers, but they are necessary to ensure good working conditions for employees. This is one of the first victories Vanessa has achieved since she began her union activism in 2024.
Teamster press conference in front of the Capitol to demand labor contracts that better protect workers. Currently, any employee can be fired overnight.
Connor Spence, the first union organizer in his family, is now the president of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), the only Amazon union in the United States. Although the union was officially recognized four years ago, negotiations have never taken place since then. By refusing to negotiate or even recognize the ALU, Amazon “has engaged in unfair labor practices,” according to the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board).
To gain more leverage against the American giant, ALU joined the Teamsters in 2024. ALU’s seven committees took their oaths at the Teamsters’ national headquarters in Washington, D.C., in the presence of National President Sean O’Brien.
Vanessa has worked at Amazon for seven years and has seen working conditions deteriorate. In 2024, she found new hope when she joined the Teamsters. “I never saw myself as someone with leadership qualities.” Proud to stand up and fight for workers, she has passed on her passion for the cause to her five daughters.
At this warehouse, DJT6—one of the country’s largest distribution centers—Andy was fired overnight for getting involved with a union: “This is clearly a political decision.” Amazon does not respect employees’ right to unionize.
Samuel has been working at the DJT6 warehouse in Riverside for about a year and a half. Much like workers in the 1960s and 1970s, he switched jobs in an effort to start a union. To further his education, he participates in a book club almost every Friday afternoon.
In response to the observation that many Amazon employees are struggling, food distributions (Pantry Day) are held twice a month in front of the JFK8 warehouse in New York for Amazon employees. These distributions are a way to counter the anti-union propaganda put forth by the multinational corporation and to demonstrate what a union can truly offer.
Wajdy, an Amazon employee since 2018, took part in the first protests during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, he serves as the union representative in charge of mutual aid within ALU. Having himself suffered a work-related injury due to repetitive motions, he supports his colleagues when they are injured, on sick leave, or the victims of workplace accidents. He is also the one who collects food for “pantry days.”
Sometimes—and especially for women—delivery areas can be dangerous, and a sense of insecurity is common among female Amazon delivery drivers.
Chris Small, founder of the first and only Amazon union in the United States, outside Jeff Bezos’s apartment in New York. Fired during the COVID-19 pandemic for speaking out about the lack of safety measures for workers, he subsequently protested for more than 300 days outside the JFK8 warehouse. Meanwhile, Amazon was named the second-best employer in the world by Forbes magazine for its effective handling of the pandemic.
In 2025, there were 110 Amazon distribution centers in the United States. This number has been steadily rising in recent years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. More than one million people work at these massive facilities.
On May 1, International Workers’ Day—which is not recognized as such in the United States—several employees gathered to send a message: the working class is here and is fighting back. They are demanding fairer wages, contracts, greater protection, and dignity. Amazon could not make a profit without them, and Jeff Bezos could not be the fourth-richest man without their work.
Ending the day by flashlight after 250 stops, she delivery 400 packages in 8 hours.