Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) spent Black Friday dealing with more than just shopping carts and delivery routes. Thousands of German warehouse workers walked off the job, timing their strike to hit one of the busiest retail days of the year.
Germany's Verdi union organized the action across nine Amazon facilities, including Bad Hersfeld, Dortmund, Frankenthal, Graben, Koblenz, Moenchengladbach, Rheinberg, Werne and Winsen. About 3,000 employees participated, pressing the company to sign a collective bargaining agreement that would formalize wages and working conditions.
Amazon pushed back, insisting the strikes wouldn't affect customer orders. The company noted it employs roughly 40,000 logistics workers in Germany, plus another 12,000 seasonal staff brought on for the holiday rush, and says it pays fair wages, according to Reuters.
The German strikes weren't happening in isolation. Unions also staged protests outside Zara stores across Europe, pressuring the retailer to bring back a profit-sharing program.
A Pattern of Labor Friction
The Black Friday walkout is just the latest chapter in Amazon's ongoing tussle with organized labor. The company has faced unionization efforts and labor complaints across its U.S. and international warehouse network, centered largely on safety conditions and compensation.
Back in June 2025, Amazon got hit with another National Labor Relations Board complaint, this time accusing the company of union-busting tactics at its DCK6 warehouse in San Francisco. The NLRB Region 20 filing seeks reinstatement for fired workers and demands that union supporters receive the raises, bonuses and promotions they claim were withheld. That complaint escalates pressure from an earlier order requiring Amazon to bargain with Teamsters at the facility, all stemming from a December holiday strike that involved more than 100 San Francisco workers.
Then in December 2024, Amazon faced what Teamsters called the largest strike against the company yet. Workers at seven U.S. facilities walked out, spanning New York, Atlanta, San Francisco and other cities. The union framed the action as a response to low pay, safety concerns and Amazon's refusal to negotiate contracts. Amazon, once again, insisted operations would continue without disruption during peak holiday season.
The Teamsters said the strike was about forcing Amazon to the bargaining table and addressing what they see as fundamental issues around labor rights inside the company's massive logistics operation.
The Business Side
While labor battles play out on warehouse floors and picket lines, Amazon's financial performance tells a different story. The $2.5 trillion e-commerce giant has seen its stock climb over 4% year-to-date.
On Oct. 30, Amazon reported third-quarter results that beat expectations. Net sales hit $180.2 billion, up 13% year over year and topping estimates of $177.8 billion. Earnings per share came in at $1.95, well above the forecasted $1.57.
CEO Andy Jassy credited artificial intelligence for driving momentum across the business, pointing to new Amazon Web Services deals and accelerating demand for cloud services.
Looking forward, Amazon guided fourth-quarter net sales to a range of $206 billion to $213 billion, representing growth of 10% to 13%. The company continues investing heavily in capacity for AI and cloud infrastructure.
AMZN Price Action: Amazon shares traded higher by 5.77% at $232.05 at publication on Friday.
