FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 2023

Contact: Chelsea Connor | cconnor@rwdsu.org | 347-866-6259

HOLIDAY SEASON STATEMENT FROM RWDSU

(NEW YORK, NY) – As the holiday shopping season gets underway, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), issued the following statement urging workers be treated with dignity and respect from in-store shopping to e-commerce warehousing, from farm to table and everything in between:

“The stress and pressure for retail workers during the holiday season is exacerbated by a continuing rise in incidents of workplace violence. Incidents of harassment, violence and hate are striking fear this holiday season in workers who are already worried about their physical safety and mental health at work every day of the year. Retail workers bear the brunt of shoppers’ frustration when it comes to rising inflation and perpetuating supply chain issues. Workers are not to blame, and stores should provide security, safety protocols and training to handle irate shoppers this season as well as safe staffing levels. Shoppers need to treat workers with dignity and respect – period. 

“In e-commerce, workers often unseen and unheard by the public face inhumane quotas and unsafe working conditions. Every year at this time, Amazon workers across the world are forced to work mandatory overtime at an often-unattainable pace that results in injuries, often causing irreparable damage. Workers at Amazon’s warehouses are pushed to the limits to meet unreasonable quotas from nameless and faceless algorithms and apps on their phones. Amazon must be held accountable. Amazon must recognize the health and safety needs of its employees. Amazon must reduce its unbearable pace of work which has resulted in thousands of documented physical and mental injuries. And most importantly, Amazon must stop union-busting. The company has continued to repress workers' voices and prevent their ability to make effective change at work – which can only happen when workers are able to join together through a union. 

“As we sit down to our holiday meals this season, we must recognize the farmworkers who work year-long to make sure we have delicious food on our tables. They too deserve the same rights as other workers, including the right to organize and improve working conditions. They toil in extreme heat and cold to ensure our precious time with our families builds tasty traditions and that this time of year is truly a season of love and warmth. 

“The passage of critical legislation including bills that prevent workplace violence, stop limitless quotas, protect worker health and safety and ensure workers are safe in extreme temperatures can help, but nothing compares to everybody – including both consumers and employers – treating workers with dignity and respect at this time of year,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). 

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The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) represents 100,000 members throughout the United States. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). For more information, please visit our website at www.rwdsu.org, Facebook:/RWDSU.UFCW Twitter:@RWDSU.