Minnesota Amazon Workers Planning Prime Day Strike

SHAKOPEE, MN — Workers at a Shakopee-based Amazon warehouse are planning to strike during one of Amazon’s busiest online shopping days of the year, according to a report. Workers plan to strike for six hours July 15, despite the online retailer committing to pay all employees at least $15 an hour last year.

Employees at the Shakopee warehouse plan to strike during the first day of Amazon's Prime Day, scheduled July 15-16. Prime Day is a shopping event offering Prime members deals on Amazon products, electronics, televisions, home goods and more.

The strike is planned for about three hours at the end of the day shift and for about three hours at the start of the night shift, Bloomberg reported. In the afternoon, workers also plan to rally outside the facility.

Employees said they are planning to strike to show others the work it takes to ensure Amazon fulfills its company promise of one- or two-day shipping. Amazon officials, however, said the company already offers what workers are asking for, including hourly pay rates ranging from $16.25 to $20.80, with benefits.

Five warehouses in the Twin Cities have become an epicenter of worker activism, according to Bloomberg, led by East African Muslim immigrants who compose much of the staff at each facility.