As Christmas approaches, this is the busiest season for online shopping and offline Consumer industry in the USA, but at this critical moment, the American e-commerce giant $Amazon (AMZN.US)$ and coffee giant $Starbucks (SBUX.US)$ have consecutively encountered the impact of strikes: in several cities across the USA, Amazon's delivery drivers and Starbucks' baristas are going on strike to pressure these two large companies to recognize their unions and improve employee treatment.

Last Thursday and Friday, Eastern Time, employees of Amazon and Starbucks began their strikes one after another. Meanwhile, the American Airlines giant$Boeing (BA.US)$Ports along the US East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as some video game companies, are also being impacted by employee strike protests.

However, many people might not realize that this series of strike activities could be related to the incoming USA president Trump, who will take office on January 20 next year.

Why are American workers choosing to strike during the Christmas season?

Generally speaking, American employees choose to strike now precisely because it is the Christmas holiday season — during this peak period of economic activity, strikes have a greater impact on businesses. Therefore, striking during this time can help unions gain a stronger voice in negotiations and may also more easily win the sympathy and support of consumers, thereby showcasing their strength.

But more importantly, the USA president Trump is scheduled to take office on January 20 next year. During Trump's previous term, his stance often leaned more toward businesses than toward unions.

John Logan, director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University, stated that he believes employees at Amazon and Starbucks are "eager" to make progress before Trump appoints a Republican majority to the National Labor Relations Board, as they anticipate that the board's stance towards unions will be less friendly during Trump's administration.

Logan stated:

"Unions want to make these disputes public to put political pressure on the companies... If these disputes drag on until next year, and they (at that time) need to fight through the labor board and courts, unions and workers will almost certainly lose. This may be their last and best opportunity to publicly pressure these companies before Trump takes office."

Could Trump's attitude towards workers have changed?

However, recent statements and actions by Trump indicate that he may be more friendly towards unions and workers during his second term than he was during his first term.

Last month, Trump nominated Oregon Congressman Lori Chavez-DeRemer as the new Secretary of Labor, and this Republican female lawmaker received strong support from unions, including the USA Truck Drivers Union.

Additionally, at this summer's Republican National Convention, USA Truck Drivers Union President Sean O'Brien also took the stage to speak, indicating that the union has a strong relationship with Trump's team.

Patricia Campos-Medina, head of the Workers' Institute at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, predicts that there will be more union activities in the USA before Trump takes office—in other words, there may be more strikes.

She stated that in response to these strike actions, Trump's reaction will give the public an opportunity to see what his 'commitment to the working class truly is.'

Editor/rice