The SDA is the union for Australian workers in warehousing, and we stand up for our members at Amazon. That’s why we are part of the Make Amazon Pay Global Alliance. Together, we’re joining forces with over 80 organisations internationally like UNI Global Union and Amazon Workers International. In Australia, we’re working with the TWU (Transport Workers Union) and MEAA (Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance) to Make Amazon Pay.
As part of the campaign, we’re calling on Amazon to pay fair wages and stop undermining Australian workers. And for Amazon to pay their fair share of tax.
But what exactly has Amazon been doing - and why is it so important to hold them accountable?
- Amazon is known for using labour hire jobs and casual work, providing no job security for workers.
- Amazon Flex Workers get no superannuation, paid leave and are not compensated for fuel or parking. Their wages are only slightly above the national minimum wage.
- Amazon Workers face unfair dismissals – one Amazon Flex driver was fired over an unproven misconduct after 22,000 successful deliveries.
- In October 2025, Amazon announced it will lay off 30,000 workers globally.
- Amazon Commercial Services paid $24.9 million in taxes on $3.12 billion income in Australia. This is 0.8% tax rate.
- Amazon Web Services paid $61.06 million in taxes on $3.43 billion in income. This is 1.78% tax rate.
- Since July 2025, Amazon is being investigated by the ATO for tax avoidance on their data centre profits.
Amazon is extremely anti-union which denies workers a say in their pay and conditions. Globally, the corporation:
- doesn’t respect workers’ right to unionise;
- purposefully delays and obstructs union agreements in courts;
- spends tens of millions of dollars on union-busting consultants and anti-union lawyers;
- spreads anti-union materials at the job sites;
- silences and intimidates the workers who fight for better rights.
SDA National Secretary Gerard Dwyer:
“Our disputes with Amazon whether unfair dismissal; or injured workers; or discrimination; or sexual harassment all have one thing in common – an attempt to silence workers.”
Amazon is obsessed with speed and productivity at the expense of their workers’ health and well-being. Across the world, the corporation is known to purposefully delay workers from receiving medical care, ignore illegal and dangerous working conditions and maintain regimes of discipline.
- Amazon was fined for unsafe working conditions several times in the United States and labour abuses in Saudi Arabia. It also faced court for health and safety violations in the UK, France, India and other countries.
SDA National Secretary Gerard Dwyer: “Amazon doesn’t want anything to interrupt their algorithm so they try to deprive workers of a voice and representation. Basically Amazon want to treat their “humans” like they are robots too.”
Amazon’s business model is built on intrusive data gathering and surveillance of its workers and customers. Constant surveillance of workers puts them under extreme pressure to meet unsafe expectations.
- In 2024, Australian Senate Committee criticized Amazon for using Australians’ private data and copyrighted material to train AI (Artificial Intelligence).
- Amazon’s excessive surveillance of workers is notorious and well-documented across the US, UK and EU. In 2024, France fined Amazon €32 million for it.
- In 2025, Amazon was fined $866 million for data law breach in Luxembourg.
Despite Amazon’s questionable business practices, the company gets access to government contacts, including an Australian Government Top-Secret Cloud in partnership with Amazon Web Services.
In 2025, Amazon Web Services concluded a Whole-of-Government Arrangement with Digital Transformation Agency and signed a $70 million deal with Australian Signals Directorate (ADS), bringing total government spending on Amazon contracts to $364 million.
SDA National Secretary Gerard Dwyer: “If you don’t pay your fair share of tax, if you deny workers their rights, if you track every second of their working day — you should not be rewarded with public money. Ethical behaviour should be the cost of doing business with the Australian people.”
What’s more, Amazon remains the world’s largest online retailer outside China, with strong growth in international markets. Amazon Web Services controls roughly 30% of the global cloud market. Amazon Australia has billions in online retail sales every year and accounts for approximately 10% of all money spent on online shopping in the country.
Amazon is not a small company, and it can certainly afford to treat workers, customers and Australians better.
FAQ - Amazon workers
Amazon is one of the most profitable companies in the world. But it doesn’t treat their workers fairly or pay their fair share of tax. The SDA is part of a global alliance to Make Amazon Pay because Amazon workers need and deserve a voice when it comes to their pay and conditions. If you want to be part of a union of workers pushing to give warehouse workers a voice at Amazon plus receive important workplace protection, information, advice and representation – you should join the SDA.
The SDA is the union for warehousing workers in distribution centres and fulfillment centres, including Amazon workers. If you work in the warehouse, e.g. as an Amazon warehouse associate, the SDA is the union for you.
If you’re an Amazon driver, the TWU (Transport Workers Union) is the union for you.
No, under Australian workplace law, your employer cannot terminate you for joining the union. All Australian workers have a right to join their union including Amazon workers. Amazon workers need a voice at work – don’t be afraid to join the SDA and help us push for better pay and conditions at your Amazon Warehouse.
The SDA Union can help SDA members at Amazon with information, advice and representation. We are constantly campaigning to protect and improve wages and workplace rights. If you’re an SDA member, we provide legal representation for unfair dismissals, underpayments and workers compensation.
Join over 200,000 SDA union members