Amazon Prime Day: workers' strikes and a site crash dent online shopping bona

Amazon and its billionaire founder, Jeffrey P. Bezos , have a long history of backlash of organizing efforts in the United States. (Bezos also owns the Washington Post, where last week the unionized workers approved a new deal with the press house after 14 months of tense negotiations.)

But in Europe, where unionization is more prevalent, unions are in the forefront of calling workers' rights in the company's warehouses, where physical demands can be exhausting and temperatures can reach extremes. Until now, however, most of their efforts have centered on the holiday season. In November, for example, hundreds of Amazonian workers in Italy and Germany went on strike, claiming that they were "under pressure to create more and more in less time."

A spokeswoman for the Seattle giant said, "Amazon is a fair and responsible employer and as such we are engaged in dialogue, which is an integral part of our culture," said the spokeswoman. Melanie Etches in an email

. This week's strikes have also inspired massive calls on social networks for boycotts of buyers.

In the United States, advocacy groups plan several consumer gatherings outside of the Amazonian market's Whole Foods markets to protest the sale of Nazis, Confederates and whites. Nationalist goods through the Amazon market of third-party sellers. There have also been massive calls on social networks for consumers to boycott the Amazon during the First Day, which continues until Tuesday.

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"People demand change, not only politicians, but also companies." in a statement promoting the Whole Foods protests. "The goal of #PrimeDayofAction is to educate the public about the harmful practices of the country's largest online retailer and ask," Is there anything that Amazon will not do for a dollar?

"Amazon is a giant More than a strike in Spain to make its cage vibrate," said Peter Horst, founder of the marketing consulting company CMO. "But at the same time, these strikes create a moment for consumers to pause and say," What's going on here? I like these low prices, but I am also starting to have sympathy for some of these workers. ""

He and others have named Walmart, Amazon's biggest competitor, as a telling tale.The company has become the largest retailer in the world, especially by offering unbeatable prices but she has also been widely criticized for treating her workers, some of whom say they've had to rely on government programs to make ends meet.] It's too early to say, said organizers the protest, how workers' strikes could affect shipments throughout Europe. "Amazon's priority is to serve and abide by the delivery promises of our customers," said spokesman Etches. from the Amazon

. to the San Fernando warehouse of the company outside Madrid are on strike. (Amazon disputed this figure and said that "the majority "employees were at work read ndi.)

This year's Prime Day is expected to bring in $ 3.4 billion to the business, up from $ 2.4 billion a year ago. research company Coresight Research. Amazon created the discount event four years ago to mark the 20th anniversary of the company

A number of other retailers, including Target, Macy's, Kohl and eBay, also promote discounts throughout the week.

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