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Amidst the bustling holiday season, Amazon faces a widespread strike that could disrupt the delivery of holiday packages. Nearly 9,000 workers are picketing, the largest strike in the company’s history.

This move comes at a critical time when Amazon, the nation’s largest e-commerce company, is under pressure to meet the high demand for holiday deliveries.

Why it matters

The timing of the strike, during the peak of the holiday package delivery rush, could put a strain on the company’s operations. However, Amazon has tried to reassure customers that the delivery of holiday packages will not be affected.

The effect could be felt internationally, affecting customers worldwide. Consumers should consider the possibility of delays.

The big picture

The striking workers are demanding the company negotiate a collective bargaining agreement. The Teamsters union has accused Amazon of ignoring a previously set deadline for these negotiations, leading to the current industrial action. The strike targets Amazon distribution centers across the country, which processed an estimated 5.9 billion U.S. delivery orders last year.

What are they saying?

Striking worker Ash’shura Brooks expressed the sentiment fueling the strike, stating, “It’s profit over people.” Brooks highlighted the prolonged struggle with Amazon, emphasizing repeated attempts to engage the company in dialogue.

An industry expert suggested that while the strike might not cause widespread delays, a small percentage of packages could be affected.

“The average person isn’t going to feel anything, but there are some people who might have delayed packages,” Paul Clark, a professor of labor and employment relations at Penn State University, hinting at the possibility of minor disruptions amidst the ongoing industrial action.

Amazon has announced a new free delivery service for Bahamian customers. This service, which applies to eligible products as part of orders worth USD $49 or more, promises to enhance the shopping experience for consumers.

The initiative, celebrated by many, especially ahead of the bustling holiday season, offers what seems like a more convenient and cost-effective option for accessing a wide range of products. The promotion is an attractive promotion from one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms through DHL.

Some celebrated on social media.

Susanna Moss said, “First Jamaica, now us and I’m all for it as long as it’s either the same as the freight forwarder or cheaper.”

Andy Stevens said he will test the services and if it works as advertised he would switch from his freight forwarder. “I definitely will be trying them out before I knock it because these local shipping companies charge an arm and a leg and can’t even get your stuff here on time.”

Sedley Jean said he tried it and proved it to being inexpensive. “It is in fact much, much cheaper. It cost me much less to bring in 85 inch (television) through DHL. Only the 35% duty was collected and zero percent on the shipping and weight.”

However, this presents a challenge to local courier companies, which have long been the bridge between Bahamian consumers and their international purchases.

Industry experts suggest that local couriers and freight forwarders may have to reassess and innovate their business models.

Amazon said “Not all items are eligible for the Free Delivery promotion. Look for ‘FREE Delivery to Bahamas’ when you spend over $49 on ‘eligible items’ throughout your shopping journey.

“Once you have a cart with eligible items and exceed the threshold, you will see the ‘Free Delivery’ promotion option at checkout. The promotion is part of our continuous effort to provide greater value to our customers worldwide, and we have not announced an end date to this promotion.”