On Thursday, Amazon workers affiliated with the Teamsters union launched a strike at seven of the company’s delivery hubs, after the company ignored a Sunday deadline for contract negotiations centered on higher wages, better benefits, and safer work conditions.

The strikes aren’t happening at facilities here in Florida, and instead are occurring at delivery hubs in New York, Illinois, and California. But that didn’t stop Tampa Bay’s Teamsters Local 79 from rallying in solidarity of the movement. On Thursday afternoon dozens of Local 79 members gathered outside at the Amazon fulfillment center in Ruskin.

“Teamsters will launch the largest strike against Amazon in U.S. history beginning at 6 a.m. EST on Thurs., Dec. 19. The nationwide action follows Amazon’s repeated refusal to follow the law and bargain with the thousands of Amazon workers who organized with the Teamsters,” says a statement on Teamsters Local 79’s website.

“If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed. We gave Amazon a clear deadline to come to the table and do right by our members. They ignored it,” continued Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “These greedy executives had every chance to show decency and respect for the people who make their obscene profits possible. Instead, they’ve pushed workers to the limit and now they’re paying the price. This strike is on them.”

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