Former Amazon employee on Teamsters strike: 'the average worker loses money'

Former Amazon employee Charles C. Baird Jr. said that workers on strike often experience financial losses while union leaders retain full pay. Baird's Dec. 20 statement on LinkedIn was in reference to the ongoing Teamsters strike.  

"Funny thing is that when the unions go on strike the average worker loses money during the time of the strike while the union President and upper echelon continue to get full pay and lose nothing," said Baird, according to LinkedIn. "The UAW went on strike one time for 9 months when I was a kid all to get a 25 cent an hour raise. Took my dad almost two years after the strike ended to make back the money he lost while on strike - all the while the president and those in the upper echelon never lost a dime."

Baird noted that during strikes, "the average worker loses money," while "the union President and upper echelon continue to get full pay and lose nothing." He recalled a nine-month United Auto Workers (UAW) strike from his childhood, where his father took "almost two years after the strike ended to make back the money he lost," despite workers securing only a 25-cent hourly raise.

Charles Baird Jr.'s Linkedin post | linkedin.com

According to the Teamsters, on December 19, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters initiated the largest-ever strike against Amazon in the United States. The action mobilized thousands of workers across states such as New York, California, Georgia, and Illinois. The union claims Amazon has refused to address demands for higher wages, enhanced benefits, and improved safety measures.

In a September press release, Amazon announced its largest investment to date in employee compensation. The company raised hourly wages for fulfillment and transportation workers to an average base of $22 per hour and total compensation, including benefits, to $29 per hour. This $2.2 billion initiative aims to keep Amazon competitive in the labor market while offering industry-leading benefits such as healthcare starting on day one, dental coverage, and pre-paid college tuition. These improvements build on Amazon's wage leadership efforts that began in 2018 with a $15 per hour minimum wage introduction.

An X user named Rene Smith shared her experience working at Amazon. She noted receiving an annual cost-of-living raise and highlighted the starting wage increase from $15 per hour to $20, adding: "At least [Jeff Bezos is] making an effort."

According to his LinkedIn profile, Baird is a Texas-based supply chain professional with over 15 years of experience in logistics, operations management, and supply chain optimization. His career includes time spent working for Amazon as an Air Operations Manager. He holds certifications such as Certified in Transportation and Logistics (CTL) from ASCM and Six Sigma Lean Professional from Management and Strategy Institute (MSI), highlighting his expertise in efficiency and quality management. His achievements include managing $553 million in U.S. government funds in Afghanistan, saving $2.6 million through lean initiatives, and overseeing the global movement of over 422 billion tons of freight.