RWDSU Urges Workers Across the Supply Chain this Holiday Season be Treated with Dignity, Safety, and Respect

As the holiday shopping season gets underway with Amazon Prime shopping beginning this week, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) issued the following statement urging that workers across the supply chain, from retail store counters and e-commerce fulfillment centers to farms, food processing, and distribution hubs, be treated with dignity, safety, and respect:

“The holiday season has always been tough on retail workers, but right now we’re at a breaking point. Prices are high, stores are short-staffed, and constant AI monitoring and surveillance are tracking every second of the workday and beyond. Workers across the entire supply chain are bearing the brunt of a system that pushes them past their limits.
 

“Retail workers don’t control empty shelves or long checkout lines, and they shouldn't have to face the dangers of a peak season on their own. Across the country, store employees are dealing with verbal abuse, harassment, and even physical violence from angry shoppers. Nobody should have to fear for their safety just showing up to work. Employers need to step up with real security, proper and safe staffing levels, and enforceable protocols to handle hostile situations. And to the public, remember this: basic kindness costs nothing, but it means everything to someone working back-to-back shifts." Read RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum's full statement here!